Birth and Nationality

Hande Baladın was born on 1 September 1997 in Kütahya, Türkiye. A citizen of Türkiye, Baladın holds a Turkish Republic passport. Representing Türkiye at both national and international levels as an athlete, Baladın is one of the active representatives of Turkish volleyball at both club and national team levels.

Beginning of Club Career

Hande Baladın began her volleyball career in the youth academy of Eczacıbaşı Sports Club in Istanbul. Initially starting as a middle blocker, she transitioned to the outside hitter position during her development, evolving into a more active and offensive role on the court. Her successful performances at the youth level quickly drew attention, and in 2015 she was promoted to the Eczacıbaşı VitrA A Team roster. In the same year, she gained first-team experience by playing on loan for İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor.

Career in Other Countries

Hande Baladın’s club career is predominantly based in Türkiye. She maintained a long-standing association with Eczacıbaşı Dynavit, the club where she began her professional career, and spent the majority of her career playing in the Turkish League. Although she has never transferred abroad, she competed internationally with her club in tournaments such as the CEV Champions League, CEV Cup, and the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship, facing teams from numerous countries across Europe and the world. Through her performances in these competitions, Baladın gained international experience and became a recognized player on the global stage.

National Team Career

Hande Baladın began her national career by representing Türkiye in various age-group national volleyball teams. She distinguished herself with notable performances at the junior and youth levels before being promoted to the Türkiye Women’s National Volleyball Team. Baladın was part of the Turkish squad that won the 2017 FIVB U23 World Championship and was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament.

Wearing the national team jersey, she regularly competes in prestigious international events such as the CEV European Championship, the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL), and Olympic qualifiers. She contributed to Türkiye’s medal-winning performances in the VNL in 2018, 2019, and 2021, and was also part of the team that won both the European Championship and the VNL title in 2023. Baladın plays a key role in the national team, contributing significantly through her offensive power and crucial performances in high-stakes matches.

Positions

Hande Baladın began her volleyball career as a middle blocker; however, during her development she transitioned to the outside hitter position, where she has continued her career. In this role, she excels in both offensive and defensive aspects of the game. Her positional change enhanced her overall contribution to the team, allowing her to become particularly effective in corner attacks due to her powerful spikes and strong blocking skills.

Club Achievements

Hande Baladın has achieved significant success at both national and international levels during her tenure with Eczacıbaşı Dynavit. Some of the key club achievements are listed below:

FIVB Club World Championship

CEV Cup

Türkiye Cup (Kupa Voley)

Türkiye Women’s Volleyball League (Sultanlar Ligi)

Türkiye Champions Cup

National Team Achievements

Hande Baladın has contributed to significant achievements with the Türkiye Women’s National Volleyball Team in various international tournaments. Her standout accomplishments at the national team level are as follows:

FIVB U23 World Championship

CEV European Volleyball Championship

FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL)

Mediterranean Games