Ligue A Look-In #5: Can Rennes 35 Make a Run at the Championship?

Note: To spread excitement for one of the top professional men’s leagues in the world, VolleyMob will profile each of the 12 teams competing in French Ligue A during the 2017-2018 season. 

ESSENTIAL LINKS

• Rennes Volley 35 Team Site
• 2017-2018 Rennes Volley 35 Roster
• French Ligue A Site
• 2017-2018 Schedule
• VolleyMob’s 5 Reasons to Follow French Ligue A

STORY LINES

After three seasons in the second division, the Rennes Volley 35 side returns to Ligue A after winning the Ligue B playoffs last April, sweeping AS Orange Nassau in the finals. They return several key contributors from last season’s successful run, including 38-year-old setter Kert Toobal, who recently played with Estonia at the 2017 European Championships, as well as opposite Arvydas Miseikis and middle Rodney Ah-Kong.

Players to Watch

Rookie middle Amir Lugo-Rodriguez joins the Rennes Volley 35 side after a successful university career at Long Beach State in the USA where he was named a 2017 first-team All-American. Greg Petty, another former first-team All-American while at Lewis University, transfers in after professional stops in Finland and Greece. Rennes Volley 35 has also retooled themselves defensively with the addition of receiver-attacker Emmanuel Ragondet and Sebastian Closter, who won Ligue A last season with Chaumont 52.

Players Arriving

• Emmanuel Ragondet from AS Cannes in French Ligue A
• Greg Petty from Pamvochaikos V.C. in Greece
• Leo Meyer from ASPTT Strasbourg in France
• Amir Lugo-Rodriguez from Long Beach State in the USA
• Sebastian Closter from Chaumont 52 in French Ligue A

Players Leaving

• Björn Höhne to Universitatea Craiova in Romania
• Nikola Kovačević to C.S. Arcada Galati in Romania
• Neven Majstorović to C.S. Arcada Galati in Romania
• Valentin Bouleau to Paris Volley in French Ligue A

3 Must-See Matches

• Rennes Volley 35 v. Paris Volley (Oct. 14, 2017) What better way to reengage with Ligue A action than an opener against perennial front-runner Paris Volley?
• Rennes Volley 35 v. Montpellier (Oct. 21, 2017) The excitement surrounding the return to Ligue A will be on full display in the side’s home opener.
• Rennes Volley 35 v. Chaumont 52 (Nov. 25, 2017) First match between the new members of Ligue A and last season’s champs will also feature libero Sebastian Closter playing his former team.

2017-2018 ROSTER

* Indicates new roster addition

• Malick Frederic, receiver/attacker
• Titouan Halle, receiver/attacker
• Xavier Kapfer, receiver/attacker
• Tanguy Nevot, receiver/attacker
• Greg Petty, receiver/attacker
• Emmanuel Ragondet, receiver/attacker
• David Feughoud, opposite
• Arvydas Miseikis, opposite
• Gildas Prevert, middle
• Gerald Hardy-Dessources, middle
• Amir Lugo-Rodriguez, middle
• Yenzi Clifford, middle
• Rodney Ken Ah-Kong, middle
• Léo Meyer, setter*
• Robin Neraudau, setter
• Kert Toobal, setter
• Sebastian Closter, libero
• Alexandre Klein, libero

VIDEO