Neckarsulmer SU (women's handball)

Sport-Union Neckarsulm is the women's handball team of the sports club Sport-Union Neckarsulm, from the town of Neckarsulm in the southwest of Germany. The team competes domestically in the Handball-Bundesliga and the DHB-Pokal. They play their home matches at the Ballei-Sporthalle and usually wear dark navy shirts and shorts.

Sport-Union Neckarsulm
Full nameSport-Union Neckarsulm e.V.
Short nameSUN, Sport-Union
Founded1 January 2009 (1 January 2009)
ArenaBallei-Sporthalle
Capacity1,500
PresidentRolf Härdtner
Head coachThomas Zeitz
LeagueHandball Bundesliga Frauen
2023-2410th
Club colours   
Home
Away
Website
Official site
Neckarsulm
Location of Sport-Union Neckarsulm

History

Early years

Sport-Union Neckarsulm was founded on New Year's Day in 2009 as Neckarsulmer Sport-Union (NSU) through the merger of Sportvereinigung Neckarsulm 1946 and Sportfreunde Neckarsulm. The name alludes to the NSU Motorenwerke, the predecessor of Audi, which was located in the city of Neckarsulm until 1985. The multi sports club consists of 17 different sections of which the women’s handball section is one of the best known because of their multi-year participation in the Bundesliga, Germany‘s most important handball league.

Climbing up the league pyramid

After two championship titles in regional fifth and fouth tier leagues, coach Emir Hadzimuhamedović led the team also to promotion to the 2. Bundesliga in the summer of 2013. In the following years, the team established itself there and gained promotion to the Bundesliga as second division champions in 2016.

A big part in the various promotions from regional amateur levels to professional tiers played the successful under-17 team, which won the German championship in 2011. Talented players of this youth team formed an integral part of the first team in later years.[1]

New name and establishment in the Bundesliga

After promotion to the Bundesliga Neckarsulmer Sport-Union was fighting against relegation for their first three years in Germany’s top tier but eventually managed to stay in the league. With coaches Pascal Morgant and Tanja Logvin at the helm, the team established itself in the following years as a solid force in the Bundesliga with a sixth place finish in the 2020-21 season, the best result to date.

In 2021 Neckarsulmer Sport-Union was forced to change its name and crest due to unwanted associations with the right-wing extremist organization National Socialist Underground, although the abbreviation NSU has a long regional tradition in and around the city of Neckarsulm.[2] Now playing as Sport-Union Neckarsulm the club produced players like Selina Kalmbach or Sarah Wachter who went on to become internationals for Germany.

Season to season
Season Tier Division Position Points DHB-Pokal
2009–10 V Württembergliga (Nord) 9th/12 19:25
2010–11 V Württembergliga (Nord) 1st/12 44:0
2011–12 IV BW-Oberliga 1st/14 50:2 Round of 32
2012–13 III 3. Liga (Süd) 1st/14 48:4
2013–14 II 2. Bundesliga 7th/14 27:29 Round of 16
2014–15 II 2. Bundesliga 4th/14 34:18 First round
2015–16 II 2. Bundesliga 1st/16 53:7 Quarterfinals
2016–17 I Bundesliga 12th/14 13:39 Round of 16
2017–18 I Bundesliga 13th/14 10:42 Round of 32
2018–19 I Bundesliga 12th/14 13:39 Quarterfinals
2019–20 I Bundesliga 9th/14 12:22 Quarterfinals
2020–21 I Bundesliga 6th/16 37:23 Round of 16
2021–22 I Bundesliga 7th/14 26:26 Round of 16
2022–23 I Bundesliga 12th/14 15:37 Round of 16
2023–24 I Bundesliga 10th/14 14:38 Round of 16
2024–25 I Bundesliga

Arena

Sport-Union Neckarsulm play their home matches at the Ballei-Sporthalle, a multi-purpose arena which hosts up to 1,500 spectators (standing and seated). The arena complex also includes a hall for cultural events for up to 1,000 people as well as a restaurant and a bowling alley.[3] The men’s handball team of the club plays selected matches at the Ballei as well. The arena is among the most visited in the Bundesliga.[4]

  • Name: Ballei-Sporthalle
  • Location: Neckarsulm, Germany
  • Capacity: 1,500 spectators[5]
  • Address: Deutschordensplatz 1, 74172 Neckarsulm

The club's most prominent supporters' group is Blaue Wand ("Blue wall"), which is located in sector B of Ballei's Foyer-Tribüne. The Blaue Wand arranges away day travels as well as meet-and-greets with players and staff and is also heavily involved in the organisation of home matches.[6]

Bundesliga attendances at Ballei-Sporthalle
Season Overall Average Rank Notes
2016–17 14,305 1,100 4th/14 [7]
2017–18 13,541 1,041 7th/14 [8]
2018–19 13,550 1,042 6th/14
2019–20 7,511 938 9th/14[9] [10]
2020–21 1,217 304 5th/16[11] [12]
2021–22 9,378 721 1st/14[13] [14]
2022–23 11,878 914 5th/14 [15]
2023–24 12,865 990 5th/14 [16]
2024–25

Team

Current squad
Squad for the 2023-24 season.[17]
No. Position Player Nationality Date of birth (age) Height Year signed Signed from End of contract
Goalkeepers
1GKValentyna Salamakha (1986-04-23) 23 April 19861,76m2022 CS Gloria Bistrița2024
29GKLena Ivančok (2001-03-29) 29 March 20011,84m2023 RK Lokomotiva Zagreb2025
Wingers
5RWAmber Verbraeken (2002-07-05) 5 July 20021,80m2022 RKHV Quintus2024
8RWVasiliki Gkatziou (1997-10-08) 8 October 19971,68m2023 BM Remudas2025
21LWAlessia Riner (2004-01-08) 8 January 20041,70m2023 LK Zug2025
55LWRabea Pollakowski (1998-02-26) 26 February 19981,62m2023 VfL Waiblingen2025
Line players
3PSharon Nooitmeer (1999-06-11) 11 June 19991,78m2021 HB Octeville Sur Mer2024
75PKim Hinkelmann (2001-10-16) 16 October 20011,83m2023 Holstebro Håndbold2025
Backcourt players
11LBAnnefleur Bruggeman (1997-07-23) 23 July 19971,81m2022 Bayer 04 Leverkusen2026
17LBArwen Gorb (2002-06-20) 20 June 20021,82m2023 TSG Ketsch2025
18RBMarloes Hoitzing (2001-01-25) 25 January 20011,79m2023 VfL Oldenburg2025
23LBMunia Smits (1999-12-23) 23 December 19991,78m2022 HSG Bad Wildungen2026
25RBNina Engel (2003-04-25) 25 April 20031,75m2022 SV Werder Bremen2024
81CBAgni Zygoura (1996-02-04) 4 February 19961,75m2023 SSV Dornbirn Schoren2025
97LBVeronika Andrýsková (1997-05-24) 24 May 19971,92m2023 DHK Baník Most2025

Transfers
Transfers for the 2024-25 season.[18]

Technical staff
Technical staff for the 2024-25 season.[19]

Personnel

Notable former players

Appearances and Goalscorers

Competitive matches and goals in the Bundesliga only. As of 1 June 2024.[20] [21] [22]

Most appearances
RankPlayerYearsGames
1 Selina Kalmbach2016–2022134
2 Sarah Wachter2019–202397
3 Irene Espínola Pérez2018–202295
4 Seline Ineichen2016–202091
5 Nele Reimer2017–2020
2021–2022		82
6 Sharon Nooitmeer2021–202475
7 Lynn Knippenborg2019–202272
8 Nathalie Hendrikse2019–202272
9 Jill Kooij2019–202272
10 Lucie-Marie Kretzschmar2019–202272
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerYearsGamesGoalsRatio
1 Irene Espínola Pérez2018–2022954204.42
2 Nele Reimer2017–2020
2021–2022		823614.40
3 Lynn Knippenborg2019–2022723244.50
4 Nathalie Hendrikse2019–2022722803.89
5 Nina Engel2022–2024502635.26
6 Seline Ineichen2016–2020912062.26
7 Selina Kalmbach2016–20221342051.53
8 Lena Hoffmann2016–2019521913.67
9 Jill Kooij2019–2022721832.54
10 Maike Daniels2016–2018481773.69

Former coaches
Coach Nat. From To Honours Notes
Stefan Arnold 07/2009 06/2010
Emir Hadzimuhamedović 07/2010 02/2018 1 2. Bundesliga
1 3. Liga
1 BW-Oberliga
1 Württembergliga
Annamária Ilyés (Caretaker) 02/2018 03/2018
Tanja Logvin 04/2018 06/2018
Pascal Morgant 07/2018 01/2020
Maike Daniels (Caretaker) 01/2020 06/2020
Tanja Logvin 07/2020 01/2023
Mart Aalderink (Caretaker) 01/2023 06/2023
Thomas Zeitz 07/2023 Present [23]

Honours
  • 2. Bundesliga
    • Champions (1): 2016
  • 3. Liga (Süd)
    • Champions (1): 2013
  • Baden-Württemberg Oberliga
    • Champions (1): 2012
  • Württembergliga
    • Champions (2): 2011, 2024 (Second team)

Kits and manufacturers
Period Kit manufacturer Notes
2009/10 – 2010/11 H2O
2011/12 – 2012/13 Hummel
2013/14 – 2015/16 ProTouch [24]
2016/17 – 2020/21 Erima [25]
2021/22 – Joma [26]

References
  1. "Als die Neckarsulmer B-Juniorinnen die deutsche Meisterschaft feierten". Heilbronner Stimme. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  2. "Jetzt ist klar: Neckarsulmer Sport-Union benennt sich um". Heilbronner Stimme. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  3. "Ballei und Festhallen". City of Neckarsulm. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  4. "Alle Statistiken: Zuschauer". Handball Bundesliga Frauen. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  5. "Diesmal steht das Gerüst bei der Sport-Union Neckarsulm". Heilbronner Stimme. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  6. "Blaue Wand". Fanblock Blaue Wand. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  7. » Zuschauer Archived 6 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine (in German) handball-world, Spectator figures 2016–17. Retrieved 06 June 2024
  8. » Zuschauer Archived 14 June 2018 at the Wayback Machine (in German) handball-world, Spectator figures 2017–18. Retrieved 06 June 2024
  9. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, several matches were played behind closed doors.
  10. » Zuschauer Archived 11 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine (in German) handball-world, Spectator figures 2019–20. Retrieved 06 June 2024
  11. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, the majority of matches were played behind closed doors.
  12. » Zuschauer Archived 17 June 2021 at the Wayback Machine (in German) handball-world, Spectator figures 2020–21. Retrieved 06 June 2024
  13. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, some matches were played behind closed doors.
  14. » Zuschauer Archived 2 June 2022 at the Wayback Machine (in German) handball-world, Spectator figures 2021–22. Retrieved 06 June 2024
  15. » Zuschauer (in German) Handball Bundesliga Frauen, Spectator figures 2022–23. Retrieved 06 June 2024
  16. » Zuschauer (in German) Handball Bundesliga Frauen, Spectator figures 2023–24. Retrieved 06 June 2024
  17. "2023/24 squad". Handball Bundesliga Frauen. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  18. "Sport-Union trennt sich von Rückraum-Spielerinnen – Gkatziou bleibt ligaunabhängig". Heilbronner Stimme. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  19. "Sport-Union Neckarsulm kehrt auf der Trainerbank zum Vier-Augen-Prinzip zurück". 6 June 2024.
  20. "Sport-Union Neckarsulm". Handball Bundesliga Frauen. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  21. "1. Bundesliga » Statistiken". Handball.net. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  22. "1. Handball Bundesliga Frauen". handball-world. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  23. Buchmann, Nils (February 8, 2023). "Neckarsulmer Neustart mit Thomas Zeitz". Heilbronner Stimme. p. 17.
  24. "Maike Daniels verlässt die Neckarsulmer Sport-Union". June 2021.
  25. "Aufsteiger Neckarsulm präsentiert neuen Ausrüster". June 2016.
  26. "Joma wird neuer Ausrüster der Sport-Union Neckarsulm". July 2021.


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