Lyudmila Stepanovna Buldakova (May 25, 1938 – November 7, 2006) was a Soviet and Russian

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...

player. Buldakova had a long career in the Soviet national team, from 1955 through 1972, serving as the team captain in the last few years. At that time, the Soviet Union and Japan were the dominant nations in women's volleyball, and Buldakova and her team captured many titles. At the World Championships, she won the title in 1956, 1960 and 1970, while placing second in 1962 (the USSR boycotted the 1967 editio

The Soviet Union placed second behind Japan in the sport's Olympic debut in 1964, but then went on to win the gold in 1968 and 1972. Buldakova also became European Champion in 1958, 1967 and 1971, placing second in 1955, while missing the 1963 edition (which was won by the Soviet Union). In club play, Buldakova first played for Zalgiris Kaunas, before moving to Dynamo Moskva. With them, she won five USSR titles, and eight European Cups. After her retirement in 1975, she continued to be involved in volleyball as a children's coach. The , named after her, is the prize for the

Russian Women's Volleyball Super League The Russian Women's Volleyball Super League, is the highest professional women's volleyball league in Russia. It is organized and administrated by the Russian Volleyball Federation. History The dissolution of the Soviet Union in late 1991 brough ...

best player, created by the Russian Volleyball Federation after her death. She became an inductee of the

Volleyball Hall of Fame The International Volleyball Hall of Fame (IVHF) was founded to honor extraordinary players, coaches, officials, and leaders who have made significant contributions to the game of volleyball. The Hall of Fame is located in Holyoke, Massachusetts ...

in 2012.

References

{{USSR-Olympic-medalist-stub 1938 births 2006 deaths Sportspeople from Saint Petersburg Honoured Masters of Sport of the USSR Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour Olympic volleyball players of the Soviet Union Russian women's volleyball players Soviet women's volleyball players Volleyball players at the 1964 Summer Olympics Volleyball players at the 1968 Summer Olympics Volleyball players at the 1972 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists for the Soviet Union Olympic silver medalists for the Soviet Union Olympic medalists in volleyball Medalists at the 1972 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1968 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics