On Friday, the Latvian U22 women`s national volleyball team is set to launch its bid for a place in the #EuroVolleyU22W Final Round. Their qualification campaign begins with a match against Denmark at the Daugavpils Olympic Centre. The tournament continues on Saturday with Denmark playing Ukraine, followed by the host nation Latvia facing Ukraine on Sunday.
“The squad selected for the Daugavpils tournament features our most consistent players. We`re also boosted by the inclusion of three players from the senior Latvian national team who joined us for their first training session today,” stated Latvian U22 head coach Inguna Minusa, a European champion in Beach Volleyball in 2009.
The team has already completed five test matches as part of their preparation, playing Algeria twice in Riga and then facing the U22 teams from Ukraine, Norway, and Algeria during their training period in Daugavpils. Coach Minusa elaborated, “Our primary objective in these test games was to effectively implement the tactical strategies planned for the qualification tournament and to improve coordination, especially between the setters and the rest of the team. We observed significant progress with each match played.”
Looking ahead to today’s opening match against Denmark, Minusa commented, “Denmark has been actively developing their volleyball program for some time, but I haven’t seen them play any test matches recently, so they are a bit of an unknown quantity – truly a ‘cat in the bag.’ They are likely a strong opponent, and honestly, I wouldn`t say we got lucky with the group draw. Both teams might experience some initial nerves in their first competitive match. Our ultimate goal and dream is to replicate last year`s success and qualify for the Final Round again. The players are incredibly motivated and determined to achieve this.”
The roster for the Latvian U22 team participating in the Daugavpils tournament is as follows:
Setters: Laura Kristīne Vāvere (RSU/MSĢ), Arina Sosinoviča (Northeastern University, USA)
Middle Blockers: Karmena Struka (RSU/MSĢ), Marta Beatrise Gintere (RVS/LU), Jana Franckeviča (Daugavpils Sports School)
Opposite Hitters: Anete Čelnova (RVS/LU), Kristīne Leskinoviča (Hylte/Halmstad, Sweden)
Outside Hitters: Katrīna Struka (RSU/MSĢ), Anna Cepurīte (Saturnus Michelbeke, Belgium), Rūta Putene, Šarlote Šlitere (both – RVS/LU), Elizabete Helēna Štolca (Orsa Cuti Volley, Italy)
Liberos: Jasmīna Bērziņa (FT 1844 Freiburg, Germany), Megija Rumaka (RVS)
The team is guided by Head Coach Inguna Minusa, assisted by Daniele Mario Capriotti and Atvars Ozoliņš. The support staff includes statistician Vladimirs Visockis, physiotherapist Luisa Dombrovska, and team manager Kristaps Čerņavskis.
A total of nineteen national teams have registered to participate in the women’s qualification rounds for the 2026 edition of #EuroVolleyU22W. The five winners of the qualification groups, along with the two best second-placed teams across all groups, will earn their spot in the final round. These seven qualified teams will then join the host nation to compete for the title. The tournament is open to players born on or after January 1, 2005, and is scheduled to be held in The Hague, Netherlands, from July 7 to 12, 2026.
In the previous championship, held for the 2024 edition, Latvia’s U22 team successfully qualified for the final tournament. They secured their place via a qualification round that was also hosted in Daugavpils that year, and subsequently finished the main competition, played in Italy, in 8th place.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood