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.

October 13, 2025: Mila Ilieva

Univ. of Maryland, Baltimore County.

America East Conference. NCAA Div. I.

Graduated in May 2025.

Current Club: Tchalou Volley (Belgium).

Reported by AVSR Global in 2019.

6'0" Middle Blocker.

Home: Vidin, Bulgaria.

See Ilieva’s bio at the UMBC website.

Last Week:

• In her professional debut, Ilieva led Tchalou Volley to a comeback win in its opening match of Belgium’s A League season.
• Tchalou defeated Amigos Sint-Antonius Zoersel 3-2 on the road. Ilieva keyed a winning rally in the fourth set and a 15-9 rout in Set 5.
• Tchalou is based in Thuillies, near Belgium’s border with France.
• At UMBC Ilieva was a four-year starter and the team’s top blocker. The Retrievers earned three bids to the NCAA tourney in those seasons.
• Ilieva was named the Most Outstanding Player of the America East championship tournament in both her sophomore and junior years.
• Ilieva’s hometown of Vidin sits along the Danube River. She competed for the Bdin-Vida club and Bulgaria’s junior national team.
• Ilieva trained in track and field at early ages before she specialized in volleyball. She excelled as a sprinter and high jumper.

Excerpt from 2019 AVSR Global report:

“Swift and springy. She’s a dynamic, fast-twitch athlete. … Unusually versatile. … Plays six rotations as a MB/OH and primary passer. … Swing is fast and clean, and she’s outstanding at adjusting to sets.”