Marina Nikulina-Pankova

Setter Marina Pankova (née Nikulina) took up volleyball in 1975 and played with Politekhnik Irkutsk and Politekhnik Chelyabinsk at the start of her career. In 1986 Pankova switched to Uralochka Sverdlovsk and played there until 1991, winning five Soviet titles with them in 1986-89 and 1991, Soviet Cups in 1986 and 1987 and CEV Women’s Champions League in 1987, 1989 and 1990 while placing second in 1988. From 1992-95 Pankova played in Spain with CV Murcia, winning the Spanish championships with them from 1993-95 and finishing second in the 1995 CEV Women’s Champions League. Pankova finished her career in 1995-96 playing with Uraltransbank Yekaterinburg and winning a bronze at the Russian championships in 1996.

Internationally Pankova was on the Soviet and later Russian national team from 1987-96. With them she won an Olympic gold in 1988, Olympic silver in 1992, was World Champion in 1990, won bronze at the 1994 Worlds, was European Champion in 1991 and 1993, and added a silver at the 1987 Europeans. Pankova was also selected as the best setter of the tournament at the 1991 European Championships. Pankova also won bronzes at the 1991 World Cup, 1993 World Grand Champions Cup, and 1993 and 1996 World Grand Prix, and golds at the 1990 and 1994 Goodwill Games. In 1989 Pankova married Vadim Pankov, a long-time coach of the Soviet and later Russian women’s national team and their daughter Yekaterina Kosyanenko (née Pankova) and son Pavel Pankov also became international level volleyball players, Yekaterina winning European Championships in 2013 and 2015 and Pavel winning gold at the 2015 Universiade.