Vienna, Austria. Austria’s national team player and setter Dana Schmit moves to the elite French national league after signing a one-year contract with Volero LE CANNET only a few days before turning 23. Volero was in fourth place at the time the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic resulted in an abrupt end to the season and had secured their spot in the Playoffs since a long time. Moreover, Volero had reached the semis of the CEV Cup – and yet could not contest those matches since the virus forced the CEV to cancel the remainder of the European Cups season.
“I am a little excited about my first year in one of the best leagues in Europe. I am really looking forward to the new challenge. My big goal is to fight for a place in the starting six. The team composition looks very balanced,” explains Schmit, who wants to “develop from a Volleyball as well as from a personal perspective” while staying in France. The club’s goal is to build on the good results of the past season. “We are well positioned again, the squad is really strong. Head coach Lorenzo Micelli is due to remain with the team too. I think we can have a really good season,” Schmit is optimistic.
For Schmit, this will be the third stop abroad in her still young career. From Austria’s record national champions SG VB NÖ Sokol / Post, she took the leap to Germany to Nawaro Straubing in 2017, where she stayed for two years before going to Volley LUGANO to spend the following season in Switzerland. With the move to France, she has now managed to set the next career milestone.
Schmit is also hoping to achieve success with the Austrian national team at the EuroVolley 2021 qualifiers scheduled for early January. Team Austria will be trying to secure their first historic participation in the Final Round from a pool featuring the likes of Greece, Spain and Norway.
