Varvara Jabić Tops Professional Women’s Volleyball Foreign Player Draft in Korea

The honor of being ranked first in the professional volleyball women’s foreign player draft went to Croatian Varvara Jabić. Vanja Bukiric, who played for Korea Expressway Corporation, changed into a Cheong Kwan Jang uniform.

Director Barbara Jabić and Jang So-yeon were nominated for Pepper Savings Bank. / Korea Volleyball Federation

The Korean Volleyball Federation (KOVO) announced the results of the women’s foreign player trial for the 2024-2025 season held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on the 9th. In this draft, a total of 41 candidates, including 4 foreign players who played last season, submitted their bids. Among them, Letizia Moma Basoko (31, Cameroon) and Gisele Silva (33, Cuba) renewed their contracts with their original teams, Hyundai Engineering & Construction and GS Caltex, respectively, confirming the departure them to Korea again.

Hyundai Engineering & Construction MoMA. / News

Pepper Savings Bank coach Jang So-yeon, who received the first selection through the lottery, called Varvara Jabić (29, Croatia, 194 cm), who plays as an aposite spiker. Jabić was on the radar of several clubs due to his high profile and offensive ability among Apogit players. Pepper Savings Bank, which selected the middle blocker Jang Wi (29, China, 196 cm) in the Asia Quarter Draft held earlier, was able to build a strong ‘height’ in the current season before us

After much discussion, Cheong Gwan-jang, who got second place earlier than expected, chose Vanja Bukiric (25, Serbia, 198 cm), who played for Korea Expressway Corporation’s Apogit last season. Bukiric was third in scoring last season (935 points), but was put on the market after the Korea Expressway Corporation refused to renew his contract. Cheong Kwan-Jang, who owns the Asia Quarter Apogee Megawattie Puttywi (25, Indonesia), was expected to choose an outdoor heater, but pulled off a ‘surprise’ by choosing Apogit.

Merelin Nikolova nominated for Korea Expressway Corporation. / Korea Volleyball Federation

Then, the Korea Expressway Corporation named the left-handed Apogee spiker Merelin Nikolova (21, Bulgaria, 188 cm). IBK Business Bank, which had to confirm its height by selecting the setter Cheon Shin-tong (30, China) in the Asian Quarter test, named the aposite spike Victoria Danchak (24, the Ukraine, 192 cm).

In fact, Heungkuk Life Insurance, the last to exercise its right to hire, chose Tutku Bourges (25, 193 cm), Apogit’s spike from Turkiye, after much discussion. Willow Johnson (26, USA) was a substitute last season, but chose to join her new family member.

Varvara Zabić (from left), Merelin Nikolova, Victoria Danchak, and Tutku Bourges. / Korea Volleyball Federation

The annual salary of MoMA and Silva, who renewed their contracts, and Bukiric, who will play in the V-League for two consecutive seasons, is $300,000 (about 400 million won), and the salary of the four other players playing in the V. -League for the first time is $250,000.

At the same time, Marta Matejko (26, Poland), who received attention as the tallest player (198 cm) in this test, was not selected and suffered.

Marta Matejko from Poland. / Korea Volleyball Federation