Otjiwarongo to host MTC VNL season opener
The Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) Volleyball National League (VNL) returns for its third season this weekend, with the opening round and official launch taking place at the C’est si Bon Courts in Otjiwarongo.
The country’s top-tier volleyball league, held under the auspices of the Namibia Volleyball Federation (NVF), features eight teams in both the women’s and men’s sections.
Teams compete for crucial ranking points across seven rounds hosted in different towns around the country, with the league’s sponsorship boosted to N$1.3 million from last season’s N$1 million.
Last season’s finals were held at Swakopmund’s MTC Dome in October, where Namibian Correctional Service (NCS) successfully defended the men’s title, while Revivals retained the women’s crown.
Organisers have assured that this season will continue to showcase elite athleticism while driving the sport’s professionalisation through the continued use of the volleyball information system (VIS).
Introduced last season, VIS is a state-of-the-art statistical software used to record, analyse and report data for every action during volleyball matches.
Newly promoted sides
This season will see the return of the women’s side Blaze Aces (formerly Beaufort in 2024) from Rundu, who won the NVF Cup last October, as well as the debut of Afrocat Ladies from Windhoek, who were the runners-up.
They will be joined by NVF Cup winners NamPower from Windhoek and Brutal Pact from Rundu in the men’s section.
Relegated sides include Keetmanshoop Correctional Facility and Grootfontein’s Mighty Gunners in the men’s section, as well as women’s teams Ball Busters of Katima Mulilo and NamPol Otjozondjupa of Otjiwarongo.
Completing the men’s eight-team field are last season’s runners-up Namibian Defence Force (NDF) Raptors, third-placed NamPol, Afrocat C, University of Namibia (Unam) Hard Hitters and Calvary Eagles.
The women’s eight-team field is completed by last season’s runners-up NDF Phoenixes, third-placed NamPol, Kudos, Six Stars and Unam Queens.
The opening round will be played on Saturday and Sunday, featuring a 12-match schedule across both sections.
Men’s opening fixtures
In the men’s section, reigning champions NCS open with three matches against returnees Brutal Pact, Unam Hard Hitters and NamPol.
Last season’s runners-up NDF Raptors will take on Afrocat C and Hard Hitters, while third-placed NamPol square off against Hard Hitters and Afrocat C.
Other season openers will see NamPol face Calvary Eagles, debutants NamPower take on Brutal Pact in a repeat of the NVF Cup final, Eagles meet Afrocat C, NamPol face Raptors, and Brutal Pact clash with Eagles.
Women’s opening fixtures
In the women’s section, reigning champions Revivals headline the opening round against Six Stars, before taking on Blaze Aces and NamPol.
Runners-up NDF Phoenixes face debutants Afrocat Ladies, Six Stars and Kudos in their opening matches. Third-placed NamPol will next face Blaze Aces and Unam Queens.
Other opening matches will see Afrocat Ladies take on Queens and Kudos, while the latter will also face Blaze Aces. The final match of the opening round on Sunday will be between Six Stars and Queens.
Next rounds
The league’s second round will head north to Ondangwa on 25 April, followed by Katima Mulilo from 23 to 24 May, Rundu on 27 June, Gobabis on 18 July, Swakopmund on 29 August, with the grand finale in Windhoek on 24 October.
With the promotion of two Afrocat sides to the top tier, head coach Aloisius “Coach C” Ishitile now has dual responsibilities. He previously coached the men’s side in the VNL and the women’s side in the Central Volleyball Association League.
Ishitile said the club has groomed coaches who can assist in the coaching role.
“One of our senior coaches, Elia Muremi, will assist with coaching the men’s team and I will remain the head coach for the ladies’ side,” he said.
Ready
Both Afrocat teams have games scheduled at the same time on both days in the opening fixtures.
Asked about the teams’ readiness, Ishitile said the ladies are eager to make their mark in the national league.
“They are very excited to go play and are excited about participating in the national league. Being their first appearance, they feel they have to go there and show that we are [Katutura’s finest].
“Even for myself, I can’t wait to watch them play and coach at the same time,” he told Sport Wrap yesterday.
