Year 2017 summary: Men's U21

Poland junior national team had one goal in 2017 - the U21 World Championship. The expectations were very high. However, even the young players were demanding a lot of themselves. - We are going for gold. We cannot imagine any other scenario - announced Mateusz Masłowski, the team libero.

To be entitled to compete at the championship, the players of Poland national team had to play at the European qualification tournament in Berlin. They did it admirably, winning all matches without losing a single set, including the encounter against the hosts who set the bar high (25:23, 25:23, 26:24).

Also during the World Championship everything went their way. Poland won all eight games, completely dominating in the final match against Cubans, whom they had already defeated in straight sets in the second round of the pool phase. The bronze medal was earned by Russia which took a straight-set victory over Brazil. Furthermore, there were three Poles among the players who were honoured with individual awards: Łukasz Kozub (Best Setter), Bartosz Kwolek (Best Outside Spiker) and Jakub Kochanowski (Most Valuable Player).

The title of the world champions had crowned the incredible story of this golden team, which remained unbeaten in 48 official matches in a row! - Any compliment won't be an exaggeration. You are spectacular, ruthless and insolent - in a good way - dominators. It was a pure pleasure to watch your matches - commended the golden juniors Witold Bańka, Minister of Sport and Tourism, while greeting them back in Poland.

In recognition of the phenomenal series of victories at the major events, the Poland junior national team is nominated to the Team of the Year Award in the 83rd Plebiscite of Przegląd Sportowy. In the same plebiscite, a nomination to the Coach of the Year Award was received by the coach of the golden team - Sebastian Pawlik.

U21 World Championship European Qualification (Round 2): 19-21 May, Berlin, Germany

Poland – Belgium 3:0 (25:21, 25:21, 25:19)
Poland – Latvia 3:0 (25:15, 25:19, 25:22)
Poland – Germany 3:0 (25:23, 25:23, 26:24)

U21 World Championship, 23 June - 2 July, Czech Republic

Pool phase, Pool A, Brno:
Poland – Morocco 3:0 (25:9, 25:15, 25:15) 
Poland – Czech Republic 3:0 (29:27, 25:23, 15:13)
Poland – Canada 3:0 (31:29, 25:23, 25:20)

Round 2, Pool E, Brno:
Poland – China 3:2 (25:13, 18:25, 23:25, 25:18, 15:8)
Poland – Cuba 3:0 (25:17, 25:22, 25:20)
Poland – Iran 3:2 (27:29, 25:21, 20:25, 25:20, 15:11)

Semi-final and final, Brno:
Poland – Brazil 3:2 (25:21, 25:19, 21:25, 23:25, 15:12)
Poland – Cuba 3:0 (25:20, 25:10, 25:19)

Poland national team for the FIVB Volleyball Men’s U21 World Championship 2017:

Damian Domagała
Tomasz Fornal
Radosław Gil
Jędrzej Gruszczyński
Norbert Huber
Szymon Jakubiszak
Jakub Kochanowski
Łukasz Kozub
Bartosz Kwolek
Mateusz Masłowski
Jarosław Mucha
Jakub Ziobrowski

Coaching staff:
Sebastian Pawlik - head coach
Maciej Zendeł – 2nd coach
Jakub Łamajkowski - physiotherapist
Tomasz Morga - statistician
Krzysztof Zając - doctor
Leon Bartman - team manager