Nîm’arguerittes: this is the name of the new senior women’s team in the Nîmes basin. An Agreement between Usam and CS Marguerittes, which will begin its adventure and its history in National 3, the level to which the Marguerittoises reach at the end of the past season. With former HBC Nîmes players Laurie Carretero and Johanna Lombardo as headliners.
Three climbs in a row and Division 2 in 2025, the Butagaz Energie League (women’s D1) in the medium term: this is the (very) ambitious objective of the new Nîm’arguerittes senior women’s agreement, passed between Usam Nîmes and CS Marguerittes (which remains on two consecutive accessions).
The presidents of the two clubs, David Tebib and Vincent Cahuzac, signed the union on Wednesday, which will apply to seniors only (two teams, first and reserve). “We are going to give a lot of substance and strength to the project, to access the professional sector as quickly as possible. If we do it, it is to reach excellence at the end of the race”, announce the two leaders.
With Carretero-Fontaine, Lombardo and Zucker
Excellence will be two headliners as rookies: goalkeeper Laurie Carretero-Fontaine (26, ex Brest and Nantes, Plan-de-Cuques this season) and center half Johanna Lombardo (29, ex Bouillargues , Bourg-de-Péage and Storhamar, Norway). Another illustrious goalkeeper, Karine Zucker, will be an integral part of the project.
HBC Nîmes disappeared in 2016
Three alumni who wrote the history of HBC Nîmes, who disappeared in 2016 under debt. “It was a locomotive of women’s sport,” recalled Usam general manager Jérôme Chauvet. This is senior women’s handball back on track in the capital of Gard, a few kilometers from Bouillargues, a D2 club that never really wanted an agreement or a merger with Nîmes.
The first French club to have a male and female team at the highest level?
Usam, which already had young girls’ teams, will it become the first French club to have both a men’s and a women’s team at the highest level? Answer in a few seasons…
The main actors of the project
Presidents of the two clubs: David Tebib (Usam) and Vincent Cahuzac (Marguertes).
Vice-president: Dimitri Hubac (Marguerittes).
Coaches: Jonathan Grimaud; Thierry Pachaire and Antoine Soulier (deputies); Karine Zucker (goalkeeping coach).
Staff : Laurie Roudière (women’s sector performance coordinator), Mickaël Meslet (general sector coordinator), Jean-François Segura (technical director of CS Marguerittes and coach of the Entente reserve team).
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