Player of the Week

Each week of the spring and fall seasons, one player who was originally reported as a recruit by AVSR Global is named Player of the Week for an exceptional performance.

September 15, 2025: Maryna Hladun

Florida International University.

NCAA Division I. Graduated in 2015.

Currently: Pro beach world tour.

Reported by AVSR Global in 2009.

6'0" Outside Hitter/Opposite/Beach.

Home: Sumy, Ukraine.

See Hladun’s bio at bvbinfo.com.

Latest Action:

• In her best year yet on the pro beach world tour, Hladun won gold at the European Championship last month in Düsseldorf, Germany.
• Hladun, 32, and her three-year partner Tanya Lazarenko, 22, are the first Ukrainian team to win the European Championship.
• The pair also placed first this season in India at the Chennai Challenge and in Poland at the Warmia Mazury Challenge.
• Hladun and Lazarenko stand at No. 11 in the FIVB world ranking.
• They will be in South Africa next month for the Cape Town leg of the tour, then in Adelaide, Australia, for the FIVB World Championship.
• At Florida International University, Hladun, then Maryna Samoday, doubled as both an indoor and beach player.
• Hladun remains the top beach player in FIU history. She reached the Final Four of the national championship pairs tourney in 2013.
• Hladun’s older brother, Valeriy Samoday, was a pro beach player. He won FIVB World Championships at the under-21 and under-19 levels.

Excerpt from 2009 AVSR Global report:

“Sleek athlete and veteran player from an elite volleyball family. … Can play LH or RH in upper-Division I. … Surgical shotmaking skills and a light jump. … Comfortable, adaptive ball control.”