2015 European MVP Kosheleva Expected to Sign With NEC Red Rockets

UPDATE: Kosheleva decided to stay in Turkey afterall and transferred to Galatasaray.

Russian  Tatiana Kosheleva, Europe’s best outside hitter, is close to signing an agreement to play next season for the NEC Red Rockets of the Japanese V-League, several Russian and Turkish media outlets are reporting.

The 6’3″ outside hitter spent last season with Turkish powers Eczacibasi, where she signed a one-year agreement as the club tried to keep pace with rivals VaikifBank (though both were ultimately upset domestically by Fenerbahce last season). The 2016-2017 season was her first professionally outside of Russia’s home league.

The 28-year old Kosheleva has played with the Russian National Team for a decade already, since she was 18 years old, and has numerous individual and team honors to her name. That includes being named the Best Outside Hitter at the 2016 FIVB Club World Championship and the MVP of the 2015 European Championship. She was also on Russia’s World Championship team from 2010 and their European Champion teams from 2013 and 2015.

At the end of the 2016-2017 season, Kosheleva and Eczacibasi finished 4th at the 2017 FIVB Club World Championships. In the bronze medal game, Kosheleva had 10 kills – behind only the 21 scored by opposite Tijana Boskovic for Eczacibasi.

Poetically, those Club World Championships were played in Japan, where Kosheleva will now call home. The NEC Red Rockets were Asia’s earned qualifier (Hisamitsu Springs also came from the continent as a wildcard) as the 2016 Asian Champions.

Eczacibasi matched up once in the tournament, in Pool B play, which Eczacibasi won 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-16).

On Monday, Kosheleva wrote an emotional goodbye to her old club on her Instagram account:

Это был мой первый сезон не в России. Я помню, как волновалась перед встречей с новой командой, помню все свои эмоции, когда первый раз входила в зал…. Но когда увидела улыбки и доброту, которые подарили мне девочки при первой встрече, волнение ушло и больше не возвращалось))) Спасибо "Экзачибаши", что приняли в свою семью! Спасибо за нашу работу, профессионализм, победы и поражения! Я нашла новых друзей, и моя семья в России всегда ждёт вас в гости! Я научилась быть сильнее в сложных ситуациях и держать лицо, когда совсем плохо! Этот игровой сезон – отдельная незабываемая страница моего спортивного пути! Это и правда, была команда-мечта! Спасибо @eczacibasivitravoleybol ❤❤❤ #family#kosheleva#спасибоволейболузаэто That was my first season playing overseas ever. I remember how nervous I was before joining the new team, remember all my emotions when i went into the arena for the first time. But when I saw all the smiles, the kindness girls gave me at that first meeting all the fears were gone. And it never returned. I want to say thank you to Eczacibasi for making me part of your family! Thank you for all of your work, professonalism, all wins and all losses. I can say that I found a new friends in Turkey, and my family back home in Russia will always be happy to see you! This season i learned how to be stronger in difficult situations, learned how to be mentaly tough even when it's reall bad. Last season is the unforgettable, really exceptional part of my pro career. We had a dream team! Thank you @eczacibasivitravoleybol ❤❤❤

A post shared by Kosheleva Tatyana (@kosheleva11) on May 22, 2017 at 2:08am PDT

“That was my first season playing overseas ever. I remember how nervous I was before joining the new team, remember all my emotions when i went into the arena for the first time. But when I saw all the smiles, the kindness girls gave me at that first meeting all the fears were gone. And it never returned. I want to say thank you to Eczacibasi for making me part of your family! Thank you for all of your work, professonalism, all wins and all losses. I can say that I found a new friends in Turkey, and my family back home in Russia will always be happy to see you! This season i learned how to be stronger in difficult situations, learned how to be mentaly tough even when it’s reall bad. Last season is the unforgettable, really exceptional part of my pro career. We had a dream team! Thank you @eczacibasivitravoleybol ❤❤❤.”

Clubs

• Russia Dinamo Moscow (2004–2007)
• Russia Zarechie Odintsovo (2007–2010)
• Russia Dinamo Kazan (2010–2011)
• Russia Dinamo Krasnodar (2011–2012)
• Russia Dinamo Kazan (2012–2012)
• Russia Dinamo Moscow (2013–2014)
• Russia Dinamo Krasnodar (2014–2016)

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