Montenegro make history with decorated veteran and university student

Montenegro is making history at the CEV Trendyol EuroVolley 2026 Women, marking the team’s first appearance at a European Championship. Joining them on that journey are two players with strikingly different backgrounds: libero Melisa Cenović, the team’s most decorated player with 13 league titles, and outside hitter Teodora Čavić, who is studying to become a dentist.

Almost all of the Montenegrin players compete in their domestic league, where matches are mostly played in local sports halls. Cenović says it has been a long journey from small sports halls to Scandinavium in Gothenburg, with a capacity of 8,000 spectators. When Sweden faced Montenegro in the opening match, the venue drew a record-breaking crowd of 5,261 supporters. In the stands, Cenović has her mother and her best friend, while back home, the rest of her family and friends are following the championship closely.

Off the court, outside hitter Teodora Čavić is preparing for a career beyond volleyball: she is studying to become a dentist. Having already studied for five years, she will take her final exams next year. During the championship, she is taking a course in surgery and uses every moment outside of practice to study in her room. In September, right after the tournament, she will face several exams just as the domestic league gets underway. She admits it will be a stressful period, but takes comfort in the fact that she has successfully managed this demanding schedule for five years.