Chattanooga indoor volleyball continues to bolster its 2024 roster with the addition of Serbia’s Elena Vukmanov to the team’s ranks, head coach Julie Torbett Thomas announced on Tuesday.
A native of Subotica, Serbia, Vukmanov’s six-foot-one frame adds immediate size to UTC’s crop of outside hitters. The 19-year-old also brings a sizable amount of high-level playing experience with her to the Scenic City, with Vukmanov having played in the Serbian Superliga from 2020-24.
“We are thrilled to welcome Elena Vukmanov to the Mocs volleyball family,” Coach Torbett Thomas said.
“Her impressive experience playing at the highest level in Serbia, combined with her exceptional skills and court awareness, make her a perfect fit for our team.”
“Elena’s addition will undoubtedly strengthen our lineup and contribute to our success on the court. She is a very sweet person and very independent. She is ready to come in and work and has been training hard to make her dream of studying and playing in the United States a reality.”
Vukmanov split time between two teams during her four-year stint in the Serbian Superliga, having been with ZOK Spartak Subotica from 2020-23 before playing with OK Radnicki Beograd for the 2023-24 season. Over her two most recent seasons of action in 2023-24 and 2022-23, Vukmanov saw action in a total of 63 sets.
Her most notable run came in 2022-23 with her hometown team of ZOK Spartak Subotica, with the squad finishing the season 12-10 overall with a sixth-place finish in the Superliga standings. ZOK Spartak’s run in the playoffs would ultimately come to an end in the Superliga Quarterfinals with a loss to Crvena Zvezda Beograd.
Born January 22, 2005, Vukmanov brings four years of eligibility with her to the Scenic City.