The Montenegrin Women's Volley League (Montenegrin: Prva crnogorska ženska odbojkaška liga), is the highest professional women's volleyball league in Montenegro. It is run by the Montenegrin Volleyball Federation.
History
Before independence First volleyball competitions for women in Montenegro were organised at first half of 90's. At the time of FR Yugoslavia, Montenegrin Republic Volleyball Federation organised Republic League, with first season at 1995. Winners of Montenegrin Republic League (1995–2006) were: AOK Rudar Pljevlja (3), ŽOK Podgorica (3), ŽOK Budućnost Podgorica (2), ŽOK Ibar Rožaje (1), ŽOK Nikšić (1) and ŽOK Studentski centar Podgorica (1). At the same time, than the only professional women's volleyball club from Montenegro – ŽOK Luka Bar participated in Yugoslav First League since 1994. and, after that, in European competitions. Biggest success in Yugoslav First League, Luka Bar achieved on season 2003-2004, when they finished season on the third place. While Luka Bar played constantly in the First League, ŽOK Rudar played two seasons in Yugoslav Second League (2002-2003, 2003-2004) and ŽOK Podgorica one season (2003-2004).
After independence In 2006, Montenegro split from Serbia. Following that, the First women's volley league of Montenegro was formed as a top national competition. Since founded, Montenegrin League had a various number of participants, from 8 to 10. Except the First League, women's volleyball competitions system in Montenegro including the Second league and Montenegrin Cup. ŽOK Luka Bar, has been the most successful team, winning 12 national champions' titles. Since the 2016–17 season, the winner of the Montenegrin First League has played in the CEV Women's Champions League.
Competition format Every season of First League have two parts. During the first, 'regular season', there is a round-robin system in which all clubs play two games against every single opponent. At the end of the first part, four best-placed teams are playing in the playoffs. Additionally, two worst-placed teams are playing in the playout series. In the playoffs semifinals, the first-placed team is playing against fourth, and second against third. Placement in finals is gained by teams which won two matches. The final-series is played until one opponent gains three wins.
Number of participants From the season 2006/07, Montenegrin First League had various number of participants on regular season, from 6 to 10.
2006/07 – 8 clubs 2007/08 – 8 clubs 2008/09 – 7 clubs 2009/10 – 7 clubs 2010/11 – 6 clubs 2011/12 – 9 clubs 2012/13 – 9 clubs 2013/14 – 8 clubs 2014/15 – 10 clubs 2015/16 – 10 clubs
2016/17 – 10 clubs 2017/18 – 8 clubs 2018/19 – 8 clubs 2019/20 – 10 clubs 2020/21 – 9 clubs 2021/22 – 10 clubs 2022/23 – 10 clubs 2023/24 – 10 clubs
Champions Since the inaugural season (2006/07), three clubs have been the champions of the Montenegrin women's volley league. ŽOK Luka Bar won 11 titles, ŽOK Galeb 2 titles and ŽOK Budućnost 1 title. Below is the list of top-placed teams by every single season.
Titles by seasons Season Champion Runner-up Third Playoffs final series 2006–07 Luka Bar Podgorica Rudar Luka Bar – Podgorica 3–2 2007–08 Luka Bar Podgorica Rudar Luka Bar – Podgorica 3–0 2008–09 Luka Bar Rudar Podgorica Luka Bar – Rudar 3–1 2009–10 Galeb Luka Bar Budućnost Galeb – Luka Bar 3–1 2010–11 Galeb Luka Bar Budućnost Galeb – Luka Bar 3–1 2011–12 Budućnost Luka Bar Morača Budućnost – Luka Bar 3–2 2012–13 Luka Bar Budućnost Rudar Luka Bar – Budućnost 3–0 2013–14 Luka Bar Budućnost Galeb Luka Bar – Budućnost 3–0 2014–15 Luka Bar Morača Galeb Luka Bar – Morača 3–0 2015–16 Luka Bar Rudar Morača Luka Bar – Rudar 3–0 2016–17 Luka Bar Galeb Rudar Luka Bar – Galeb 3–0 2017–18 Luka Bar Rudar Galeb Luka Bar – Rudar 3–0 2018–19 Luka Bar Morača Galeb Luka Bar – Morača 3–0 2019–20 Luka Bar Morača Galeb Canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic 2020–21 Luka Bar Galeb Morača Luka Bar – Galeb 3–2 2021–22 Galeb Luka Bar Albatros Galeb - Luka Bar 3-0 2022–23 Herceg Novi Galeb Luka Bar Herceg Novi - Galeb 3-0 2023–24 Herceg Novi Luka Bar Galeb Herceg Novi - Luka Bar 3-0 Sources:
Titles by team Club Winners Runners-up Winning years ŽOK Luka Bar 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21 ŽOK Herceg Novi 2022–23, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26 ŽOK Galeb Bar 2009–10, 2010–11, 2021-22 ŽOK Budućnost Podgorica 2011–12 AOK Rudar Pljevlja ŽOK Morača Podgorica ŽOK Podgorica
Performances by clubs Final placements Clubs which played every single season in Montenegrin Volley League are ŽOK Luka Bar and ŽOK Gimnazijalac. Below is the list of final placements of every club by single season.
Club 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Albatros – – – – – – – – – – – – – 6 4 3 4 Akademija – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 4 5 Budućnost 6 4 5 3 3 1 2 2 6 5 6 6 – 10 9 9 6 Budvanska Rivijera – – – – – 5 6 6 5 6 4 5 – – – – – Galeb – 5 4 1 1 6 5 3 3 4 2 3 3 3 2 1 2 Gimnazijalac 7 6 7 6 6 9 7 8 8 9 9 8 5 5 7 10 10 Gorštak – – – – – – – – 9 10 10 – – – – – – Herceg Novi – – – – – 8 8 – – 7 8 7 – – – – 1 Ibar 4 8 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Jedinstvo – – – – – – – – – – – – 7 9 5 5 8 Lovćen – – – – – – – – 10 – – – – – – – – Luka Bar 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 Mediteran – – – – – – – – – – – – 6 8 8 8 9 Mladost – – – 7 – – – – – – – – – – – – – Morača – – – – 4 3 4 4 2 3 5 4 2 2 3 6 7 Nikšić 5 7 – – – 7 9 7 7 8 7 9 8 7 – – – Podgorica 2 2 3 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Rudar 3 3 2 4 5 4 3 5 4 2 3 2 4 4 6 7 – Sokogym – – 6 5 – – – – – – – – – – – – – Sutjeska 8 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 07 = season 2006/07
All-time participants Since its foundation, 20 clubs have participated. Below is a list of participants with the number of seasons in the First League and all-time score. Matches from the playoffs series are included.
Club Town Ssn First Last G W L Pts Luka Bar Bar Galeb Bar Rudar Pljevlja Budućnost Podgorica Morača Podgorica Gimnazijalac Kotor Nikšić Nikšić Budvanska Rivijera Budva Herceg Novi Herceg Novi Podgorica Podgorica Albatros Herceg Novi Jedinstvo Bijelo Polje Mediteran Budva Gorštak Kolašin Akademija Tivat Sokogym Podgorica Ibar Rožaje Lovćen Cetinje Mladost Tivat Sutjeska Nikšić
Note: 2 points for win, 1 for defeat
Current season Season 2023–24 is 18th edition of Montenegrin women's volley league. League have ten participants. League started in October 2023 and will finish in May 2024.
Team ArenaCapacityCityAkademijaŽupa900TivatAlbatrosSC Igalo2,000Herceg NoviBudućnostMedical School1,000PodgoricaGalebTopolica3,000BarHerceg NoviSC Igalo2,000Herceg NoviJedinstvoSC Nikoljac3,000Bijelo PoljeLuka BarTopolica3,000BarMoračaMedical School1,000PodgoricaMediteranMediterranean SC1,500BudvaRudarAda SC3,000Pljevlja
Second League Competition was founded at 2006, with first season 2006–07. At the end of every season, a new member of the First League became a winner of Second Montenegrin League. If winner is the 'B' team (second team) of some club, promotion is gained to next best-placed participant of Second League. So far, winners of the Montenegrin Second Women Volley League were: Season Champion Runner-up 2006–07 Galeb Bar Mladost Tivat 2007–08 Rudar 'B' Pljevlja Sokogym Podgorica 2008–09 Mladost Tivat Ibar Rožaje 2009–10 Galeb 'B' Bar Morača Podgorica 2010–11 Nikšić Herceg Novi 2011–12 DNP DNP 2012–13 Galeb 'B' Bar Morača 'B' Podgorica 2013–14 Galeb 'B' Bar Lovćen Cetinje 2014–15 Rudar 'B' Pljevlja Ibar Rožaje 2015–16 Galeb 'B' Bar Luka Bar 'B' 2016–17 Galeb 'B' Bar Ibar Rožaje 2017–18 Galeb 'B' Bar Luka Bar 'B' 2018–19 Luka Bar 'B' Budućnost Podgorica 2019–20 Interrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic 2020–21 Akademija Tivat Gorštak Kolašin 2021–22 Herceg Novi Gorštak Kolašin 2022–23 Rudar Pljevlja Tempo Nikšić
Season 2019-20 was interrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic. Montenegrin volleyball federation decided that the champions of the Second League were the winners of five groups from the preliminary phase of competition (Ivangrad; Herceg Novi; Akademija; Galeb "B"; Gorštak).
Montenegrin women's volleyball clubs in European competitions
Montenegrin women's volleyball clubs have been participating in the CEV competitions since the 1998–99 season. The first team which competed in European cups was ŽOK Luka Bar. ŽOK Galeb and ŽOK Herceg Novi are the other teams to play in CEV competitions. Montenegrin women's volleyball teams played in Women's CEV Cup and CEV Women's Challenge Cup, and from the season 2016–17 in the qualifiers for CEV Women's Champions League. During the overall history, three Montenegrin clubs have played in CEV competitions. Team Seasons G W L ŽOK Luka Bar ŽOK Herceg Novi ŽOK Galeb Bar As of the end of CEV competitions 2023–24 season.
See also Montenegrin women's volleyball Cup Volleyball Federation of Montenegro (OSCG) Montenegro women's national volleyball team Montenegrin Volleyball League
References
External links Volleyball Federation of Montenegro Montenegrin League. women.volleybox.net