Jovana Brakočević Canzian
One of the most successful and decorated volleyball players in history
Jovana Brakočević Canzian is one of the most successful, influential, and decorated volleyball players in the history of the sport. During her illustrious professional career, which spanned over two decades and officially concluded in June 2026, she won 24 club trophies and numerous medals with the Serbian national team. Standing at 1.96 m, Jovana was renowned for her incredible spiking power and her unique ability to turn the tide of a match in critical moments. She was repeatedly named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at major club and international tournaments, including the European Championship, the CEV Champions League, and the FIVB Club World Championship. Following her retirement, she has remained dedicated to volleyball by joining the coaching staff of the Serbian women's national volleyball team.
Career Timeline
Sports Genes and Volleyball Beginnings
Jovana was born on March 5, 1988, in Zrenjanin, Serbia, into a family with an exceptional sporting background. Her father was a professional handball player, her mother Edita was her biggest supporter, and her brothers excelled in handball and water polo. Encouraged by this athletic environment, Jovana began training volleyball in the fourth grade of primary school "2. oktobar" in Zrenjanin. Her height and athletic frame immediately stood out during her initial training sessions at the local club Poštar Zrenjanin, indicating a future world-class player.
Move to Belgrade and Club Dominance
At just 15 years old, while in the eighth grade of primary school, Jovana made the brave decision to leave her hometown of Zrenjanin and move to Belgrade to sign with Poštar 064. Under expert guidance, she quickly debuted for the senior team and became the powerhouse corrector of the squad. She led Poštar 064 to absolute dominance on the domestic scene, winning the Serbia and Montenegro championship (2006), the Serbian league title (2007), and three consecutive domestic cups (2005, 2006, 2007).
Historic World Championship Debut
At only 18 years old, Jovana was called up to the senior national team of Serbia for the FIVB World Championship in Japan. As the youngest member of the squad, she delivered spectacular performances, helping the team create a global sensation by winning the bronze medal — the first-ever international podium finish for Serbian women's volleyball, which paved the way for future gold medals.
European Silver and Transfer to Italy
At the 2007 European Championship, Serbia won the silver medal, and Jovana was named the Best Server of the tournament. These standout performances secured her a transfer to the Italian powerhouse Spes Volley Conegliano. In Italy, home to the world's strongest league, Jovana instantly became the team's key player, and in the 2007/08 season, she was named the MVP, Best Scorer, and Best Attacker of the Italian Serie A2, leading the club to promotion to Serie A1.
Chinese Adventure and European League Gold
In 2010, Jovana moved to China to join Guangzhou Evergrande, playing under the guidance of the legendary Chinese head coach Lang Ping and reaching the finals of the Chinese league. During the summers of 2010 and 2011, she dominated the European League with the Serbian national team, winning consecutive gold medals, and was named the MVP and Best Spiker of the tournament in 2011.
European Gold and Best Sportswoman of Serbia
A historic year for Serbian volleyball. In front of a passionate home crowd in Belgrade's Pionir Hall, Jovana led Serbia to its first-ever European Championship gold medal, defeating Germany 3-2 in a dramatic final. Jovana was named the MVP of the tournament, and the Olympic Committee of Serbia (OCS) honored her as the Best Sportswoman of the country. That same year, she won a bronze medal at the FIVB World Grand Prix in Macau.
Championship Title in Japan
Her career took her to Japan, where she signed with JT Marvelous in Nishinomiya. Despite the unique, defensive, and high-speed nature of the Japanese style of play, Jovana excelled on the net, leading her team to winning the national V.League championship title.
VakıfBank and Absolute Global Dominance
Jovana signed with Turkish giant VakıfBank Istanbul, making history under coach Giovanni Guidetti. In the 2012/13 season, the club achieved a historic undefeated run of 73 official matches, winning all five possible trophies: the CEV Champions League, the FIVB Club World Championship, the Turkish League, the Turkish Cup, and the Turkish Super Cup. Jovana was the star player, earning MVP honors at both the Champions League and the Club World Championship.
Motherhood and Family
Following her season with Azeryol Baku, Jovana decided to take a break from professional volleyball to focus on her family. She and her husband Marcello Canzian welcomed their son Viktor in December 2015, marking her most beautiful chapter off the volleyball court.
Sensational Return and Olympic Silver in Rio
Just months after giving birth, through immense training and dedication, Jovana returned to world-class form. She led Serbia to a historic silver medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, defeating powerhouse teams like Russia and the USA along the way, marking one of the greatest team sport achievements for Serbia.
Trophies Across Europe and Asia
Jovana returned to club success, playing in several top leagues. She played for Modena in Italy (reaching the finals), won the Kazakhstan Cup with Altay VC (2017), won the Romanian double with CSM București (2018), won the Polish Super Cup with Budowlani Łódź (2018), and later suited up for Igor Gorgonzola Novara in Italy.
Captaincy and Domination in Poland
As the captain of KPS Chemik Police, Jovana led the club to consecutive Polish championship titles (2021, 2022) and two Polish Cups. In the 2021/22 season, she was named the MVP of the Polish League, proving she was still the premier opposite spiker in Europe well into her thirties.
Global Experience, PVF USA, and Coaching
After playing for Beşiktaş in Turkey and Bandung BJB Tandamata in Indonesia, Jovana moved to the United States in 2026 to represent San Diego Mojo in the newly formed professional league, PVF. In June 2026, she officially retired from professional volleyball. Immediately following her retirement, she joined the coaching staff of the Serbian women's national volleyball team as an assistant coach, passing her invaluable expertise to the next generation of champions.
National team achievements under the Serbian flag
Jovana Brakočević's national team career represents a golden age of Serbian women's volleyball. She played 215 official matches for the national team and won a total of 10 medals at major international tournaments, leading Serbia to the top of the volleyball world.
Club career by season
The table below shows Jovana Brakočević's professional path across different leagues and continents.
| Season | Club | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2004–2007 | Poštar 064 Belgrade | Serbia |
| 2007–2010 | Spes Volley Conegliano | Italy |
| 2010–2011 | Guangzhou Evergrande | China |
| 2011–2012 | JT Marvelous | Japan |
| 2012–2014 | VakıfBank Istanbul | Turkey |
| 2014–2015 | Azeryol Baku | Azerbaijan |
| 2015–2017 | Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena | Italy |
| 2017 | Altay VC | Kazakhstan |
| 2017–2018 | CSM București | Romania |
| 2018–2019 | Budowlani Łódź | Poland |
| 2019–2020 | Igor Gorgonzola Novara | Italy |
| 2020–2023 | KPS Chemik Police | Poland |
| 2023–2024 | Beşiktaş Istanbul | Turkey |
| 2024 | Bandung BJB Tandamata | Indonesia |
| 2026 | San Diego Mojo | USA |
Osvojeni trofeji i medalje
During her illustrious twenty-two year career, Jovana won a total of 24 club titles and a large number of medals with the national team.
Reprezentativni trofeji
| Competition | Medal / Place | Year | Host |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Championship | Bronze Medal | 2006 | Japan |
| European Championship | Silver Medal | 2007 | Belgium & Luxembourg |
| European League | Gold Medal | 2010 | Ankara, Turkey |
| European League | Gold Medal | 2011 | Istanbul, Turkey |
| World Grand Prix | Bronze Medal | 2011 | Macau, China |
| European Championship | Gold Medal | 2011 | Serbia & Italy |
| European League | Bronze Medal | 2012 | Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic |
| World Grand Prix | Bronze Medal | 2013 | Sapporo, Japan |
| Olympic Games | Silver Medal | 2016 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
Klupski trofeji
| Club | Competition / Title | Season / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Poštar 064 Belgrade | Serbia & Montenegro Cup (Winner) | 2004/05 |
| Poštar 064 Belgrade | Serbia & Montenegro Championship (Champion) | 2005/06 |
| Poštar 064 Belgrade | Serbia & Montenegro Cup (Winner) | 2005/06 |
| Poštar 064 Belgrade | Serbian Championship (Champion) | 2006/07 |
| Poštar 064 Belgrade | Serbian Cup (Winner) | 2006/07 |
| JT Marvelous | Japanese Championship (Champion) | 2011/12 |
| VakıfBank Istanbul | CEV Champions League ( Gold) | 2012/13 |
| VakıfBank Istanbul | Turkish Championship (Champion) | 2012/13, 2013/14 |
| VakıfBank Istanbul | Turkish Cup (Winner) | 2012/13, 2013/14 |
| VakıfBank Istanbul | FIVB Club World Championship ( Gold) | 2013 |
| VakıfBank Istanbul | Turkish Super Cup (Winner) | 2013 |
| Altay VC | Kazakhstan Cup (Winner) | 2017 |
| CSM București | Romanian Championship (Champion) | 2017/18 |
| CSM București | Romanian Cup (Winner) | 2017/18 |
| Budowlani Łódź | Polish Super Cup (Winner) | 2018 |
| KPS Chemik Police | Polish Championship (Champion) | 2020/21, 2021/22 |
| KPS Chemik Police | Polish Cup (Winner) | 2020/21, 2022/23 |
| KPS Chemik Police | Polish Super Cup (Winner) | 2023 |
Individualna priznanja i nagrade
Jovana Brakočević's outstanding performances have been recognized with numerous prestigious individual awards at both European and global levels.
| Award / Recognition | Competition | Season / Year |
|---|---|---|
| Best Server | European Championship | 2007 |
| Most Valuable Player (MVP) | Italian Serie A2 | 2007/08 |
| Best Scorer & Attacker | Italian Serie A2 | 2007/08 |
| Best Spiker | European League | 2010 |
| Best Spiker | European League | 2011 |
| Most Valuable Player (MVP) | European League | 2011 |
| Best Scorer | World Grand Prix | 2011 |
| Most Valuable Player (MVP) | European Championship | 2011 |
| Best Sportswoman of Serbia | Olympic Committee of Serbia (OCS) | 2011 |
| Most Valuable Player (MVP) | CEV Champions League | 2012/13 |
| Most Valuable Player (MVP) | FIVB Club World Championship | 2013 |
| Most Valuable Player (MVP) | Polish Super Cup | 2018 |
| Most Valuable Player (MVP) | Polish TAURON Liga | 2021/22 |
| Most Valuable Player (MVP) | Polish Cup | 2022/23 |
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