Walcz welcomes the first phase of this winter’s EuroHockey Indoor action this week with the Under-21 women’s tournament featuring six teams dreaming of continental glory.
All 15 matches from the competition will be broadcast live from Poland on www.eurohockeytv.org either with an event pass (€7.99) or with the EuroHockeyTV season pass.
Find out more about all the teams taking part in this week’s tournament below
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Austria
Best performance: Winners (2023)
Previous appearances: 15
Austria are the only ever-present side in the top tier of the women’s Under-21 indoor championship since its inception in 1991. They eventually reached the top step of the podium in 2023 for the first time, defeating Czechia 2-1 in the decider.
The competition proved an amazing springboard for many of the side with captain Johanna Czech, Laura Kern, Katharina Bauer and Katharina Proksch all going on to win World Cup indoor silver medals a month later.
Bauer and Proksch – top scorer in 2023 in Lucerne with 11 goals – are back for a second campaign at this level along with Amelie Minar. They provide the experience to an otherwise very young team with one 15-year-old and three 16-year-olds while over half the panel will be eligible again in 2027.
They warmed up for the competition last weekend with a sixth place finish at the Röhrmax Cup in Arminen. There, they defeated the Czechia senior team and pushed senior sides from USA (5-3), Belgium (3-2) and Croatia (4-3) all the way in close fixtures.
SV Arminen provide four players to the panel – they lead the Austrian league with eight wins from eight.
Croatia
Best performance: 8th (2023)
Previous appearances: 1
Croatia will be aiming to build on their 2023 debut at this level where they finished in eighth place with a very young line-up. It comes at an exciting side for the nation with Poreč hosting the indoor World Cup in February and strong performers here could make a late push for inclusion in that panel.
The 18-year-old goalkeeper Tea Andričič is among them having made her senior debut aged just 15 and then impressing in 2023 in Lucerne. She is among a trio of returnees from two years ago along with midfielder Helena Buzjak and captain Lucija Buzjak.
A further trio of players are also based outside of Croatia with Noelle Becks playing in the Netherlands with Ring Pass Delft; Lana Roginek with TSV Schoot Mainz and Emily Dickel with HC Bad Homburg (both in Germany).
Otherwise, seven of the squad hail from HK Zelina and Anico Kosović and Korina Stojić play with HK Jedinstovo.
Italy
Best performance: 5th (1991)
Previous appearances: 3
Italy will play in the top tier of European U21 indoor hockey for the fourth time, hoping they can land a medal for the first time. They finished in fifth on debut while their best since then has been sixth in both 2017 and 2023.
Captain Maria Torbol (from HC Riva) is a strong presence while CUS Pisa’s Matilde Piccinocchi (pictured) is a feisty player with a keen eye for goal. Their coaching team has a strong Czech influence with Richard Kotrc – who moved from Czechia to play with HC Bra – and Petr Bodnar organising the side.
The majority of the side is based in Italy apart from Francisca Eschoyez who plays in the US collegiate system with Quinnipac University. She is from a rugby-playing family with her two brothers following in her father’s footsteps to play professionally.
Poland
Best performance: Winners (2007,2013)
Previous appearances: 10
Fifth placed in 2023, Poland will be looking to put their hosting to full use and push for the medals in Walcz with a strong team. Striker Maria Drozda (pictured) was a key figure in their forward line last time around, scoring four goals, and she is already a senior international, marking her out as one to watch.
She reconnects with Oliwia Krychniak, goalkeeper Sandra Hoffmann, Jagoda Arciszewska and captain Marta Czujewicz who played in the 2023 campaign.
Indeed, Czujewicz, Arciszewkska, Hoffmann and Drozda are all club mates at UKS SP 5 Swarek Swarzedz whiule there are three players each from KS Hokej Start Brzeziny – who lead the Polish championship – and AZS Poznań University of Technology. The other duo hail from Berliner HC in Germany – Julia Rymer and Lucia Horn.
Switzerland
Best performance: Bronze (2019)
Previous appearances: 7
Switzerland are competing under a new coach in Linda Haussener but she is well-known to the panel as a former assistant coach, national team player and physio in the setup.
She is supported by physio Stephanie Weber who is another senior international along with seniors head coach Jorge Nolte and new video analyst Bruno Sousa. All together, they bring a lot of positive energy and aim to make it a championship to remember.
“We are all looking forward to an exciting competition in which we will try to develop and excel as a team and as individuals,” Haussener says. “Our main focus will be to maintain a competitive and positive attitude throughout the tournament.”
The side is captained by Dunja Härtsch who is among a quartet of players who were part of the side who finished in fifth place in 2023 in Lucerne. The others are Ria Müller, Anya Hardeman and goalskeeper Hanna Studer.
Härtsch is among six players from HC Olten in the panel with Rotweiss Wettingen providing two. Adrianne Heselhaus is the one player based outside of Switzerland – she plays with Klipper in Hamburg. In their short preparation, they played Italy three times in challenge matches just before the new year.
Türkiye
Best performance: Bronze (2023)
Appearances: 5
Türkiye come into the competition on a high after their memorable run to bronze in 2023 with a lively crowd filling up the hall in Lucerne. It continued their rise up through the ranks in what was their fifth consecutive appearance in the top tier.
Head coaches from three Turkish Super League teams have come together to try and power success this time around: Zeyni Efe Bozkurt (Kırıkkale Academy), Serkan Şen (CB Ege Yıldızları) and Yakup Fırat (Adana Hockey), organising national team camps in Konya and Antalya.
“Our preparations were very productive and we would like to organise the next indoor competition in our country; we wish success to all teams,” said Zeyni Efe Bozkurt, head coach.
Captain Aleyna Başbuğ added: “Five of our athletes that came 3rd in 2023 will play here, we are confident in Poland and we want to succeed.”
She is among seven players from CB Ege Yıldızları who are involved in the panel along with livewire defender Sila Erkoç, Gülcan Paksoy and Sudenur Kurt.
Paksoy has 13 goals in eight Turkish league games, helping Ege Yıldızları into third spot thus far.
