Marina Staden

Marina Staden was a Russian-born woman from Moscow and was a substitute in the Soviet volleyball team in 1976 before she emigrated to West German as a Russian with German ancestors. In 1977 she married German Hans Staden and received German citizenship in 1979.

Staden was then a member of the West German women’s team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics that finished sixth after losing the match for fifth place against Korea. Staden won more than 30 international caps with the Soviets, and 245 with the German team. She participated in the 1979, 1981 and 1983 European Championships as well as in the 1982 Worlds.

Staden played with ZSKA Moscow (1967-77), VC Schwerte (1977-79) USC Münster (1979-82) and VfL Oythe (1982-84). She helped Schwerte to win the German Championship in 1978-79 and the German Cup in 1978, and Münster to win the German Championship in 1980-81. In 1982 she also won the CEV Cup. In 1980-81 and 1984, she was named Volleyball Player of the Year in Germany.