P.A.O.K. Thessaloniki V.C.

PAOK V.C.

Full name	(Greek: Πανθεσσαλονίκειος Αθλητικός Όμιλος Κωνσταντινουπολιτών) (Pan-Thessalonian Athletic Club of Constantinopolitans)
Nickname	Two Headed Eagle of the North
Founded	1926 (Volleyball Club: 1933)
Ground	PAOK Sports Arena (Capacity: 8,500)
Chairman	Antonis Tsalopoulos
Manager	Giannis Kalmazidis
League	A1 Greek Volleyleague CEV Champions League
2014–15	1st
Uniforms
Home Away

Active departments of P.A.O.K.
Football (Men's)	Football (Women's)	Basketball (Men's)
Basketball (Women's)	Volleyball	Handball
Water Polo	Swimming	Wrestling
Boxing	Taekwondo	Weightlifting
Cycling	Athletics	Ice hockey

P.A.O.K. Volleyball Club or PAOK Volley, is a professional volleyball club based in Thessaloniki, Greece, part of the major multi-sport club P.A.O.K.. It was founded in 1933 and refounded in 1948 after the Axis occupation. PAOK has taken part in 34 Greek Volleyball League seasons and won its first Championship in 2015.

They have reached the Greek Cup final twice, in 1983 when they were beaten 3-1 by Olympiacos S.C. and in 2015 when they beat 3-1 Olympiacos S.C. in Ermoupoli. They have also reached the semifinals five times: in 1999, 2003, 2004, 2011 and 2014.

League History

Current squad

Season 2015–2016

Shirt No	Nationality	Player	Birth Date	Height	Position
1	Cuba	Javier Jiménez	(1989-11-16) November 16, 1989	1.98	Outside Hitter
2	Greece	Ioannis Pantakidis	(1985-02-05) February 5, 1985	1.97	Middle Blocker
3	Greece	Dimitrios Gkaras	(1984-11-12) November 12, 1984	1.85	Libero
4	Greece	Thanasis Dinas	(1981-11-19) November 19, 1981	2.04	Middle Blocker
5	Greece	Thanos Terzis	(1979-03-17) March 17, 1979	1.93	Setter
6	Greece	Vasileios Kournetas	(1976-08-02) August 2, 1976	1.90	Setter
7	Greece	Alexandros Sabanis	(1992-10-15) October 15, 1992	2.00	Opposite
8	Cuba	Rolando Cepeda	(1989-03-13) March 13, 1989	1.98	Opposite
9	Greece	Ioannis Takouridis	(1988-05-24) May 24, 1988	1.98	Middle Blocker
10	Greece	Dimosthenis Makrakis	(1996-05-23) May 23, 1996	1.90	Libero
11	United States	David Lee	(1982-03-08) March 8, 1982	2.03	Middle blocker
12	Greece	Nikos Smaragdis	(1982-02-12) February 12, 1982	2.02	Middle blocker
13	Greece	Dimitrios Efraimidis	(1990-12-19) December 19, 1990	1.94	Outside Hitter
15	Greece	Vasilis Karasavidis	(1995-03-17) March 17, 1995	1.95	Outside Hitter
16	United States	Jayson Jablonsky	(1985-07-23) July 23, 1985	1.98	Outside Hitter

Board of Directors

Board of Directors
President	Antonis Tsalopoulos
Vice Chairman & Technical Manager	Κonstantinos Paisiadis
Technical Αdvisor	Notis Litsas
Head of Administrative and Legal Affairs	Katerina Giannakopoulou
Security Officer and Manager in Upcoming Sporting Authorities	Achilleas Tzikas
Contact Person with the links	Gerasimos Vasiliadis
Head Μarketing	Petros Lempetlis
Head of Press and Communications	Tania Dimou
Member	Eythimios Lefkaditis

Technical Staff

Technical Staff
Head Coach	Giannis Kalmazidis
Assistant Coach	Kostas Papadopoulos
General Manager	Achilleas Tzikas
Τrainer	Dimitris Ioannidis
Physiotherapist A'	Antonis Antoniadis
Pathologist	Makis Lefkaditis
Orthopedic Doctor	Nikiforos Dionysis
Statistician	Panagiotis Kountouridis

Honours

P.A.O.K. Sports Arena

• Greek Volleyball League
  • Winners (1): 2014-15
• Greek Volleyball Cup
  • Winners (1): 2014-15
  • Runners-up (1): 1982-83
• Double
  • Winners (1): 2014-15

Notable players

• 

  Plamen Konstantinov

• 

  Vladimir Grbić

• 

  Olli-Pekka Ojansivu

• 

  Ernardo Gómez

• Vasileios Kournetas
• Konstantinos Prousalis
• Andrej Kravárik
• Plamen Konstantinov
• Javier Jiménez
• Rolando Cepeda
• Olli-Pekka Ojansivu
• Ronald Zoodsma
• Vladimir Grbić (FIVB Hall of Fame)
• Kevin Hansen
• Michael Lambert
• James Polster
• Riley Salmon
• Clayton Stanley
• David Lee
• Ernardo Gómez

Notable coaches

• Sotiris Ieroklis
• Stelios Kazazis
• Giannis Kalmazidis

Women's Volleyball Department

PAOK women's volleyball club was only alive for 3 years, 1995–1998. In 2003 it merged with Filathlitikos and ceased to exist.

It was founded again in 2010 and is currently and after reaching A2 it fell again in the 3rd level for 2012–13, B Ethiki.

Sponsorships

• Official Sponsor: OPAP, Sportingbet, Hellas Gold
• Official Sport Clothing Manufacturer: Legea
• Official Broadcaster: Nova Sports

External links

• http://www.paokvolley.gr/ (Official site in Greek)
• http://www.volleyball.gr/
• http://www.volleyleague.gr/

Press

• PAOK24 (Greek)

Media

• Official YouTube channel