Mackenzie Esporte Clube (short, just ''Mackenzie'') is a social, recreational and sports club from

Belo Horizonte Belo Horizonte (, ; ) is the sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population around 2.7 million and with a metropolitan area of 6 million people. It is the 13th-largest city in South America and the 18th-largest in the Americas. The metropol ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

. The club has tradition in forming new athletes, especially in women's volleyball. The most prominent athletes that started in the club are the two-times Olympic champion

Sheilla Castro Sheilla Castro de Paula Blassioli (born 1 July 1983 in Belo Horizonte) is a former volleyball player from Brazil, who represented her native country at the 2008 Summer Olympics and in the 2012 Summer Olympics. On both occasions the Brazilian ...

, and the Olympic bronze-medal winners

Ana Paula Connelly Ana Paula Rodrigues Connelly Henkel (born 13 February 1972 in Lavras, Minas Gerais) is a retired female volleyball player and journalist from Brazil, who represented her native country at four Summer Olympics: in volleyball in 1992 and 1996, and ...

and

Érika Coimbra Érika Kelly Pereira "Kiki" Coimbra (born March 23, 1980 in Belo Horizonte) is a volleyball player who competed for Brazil in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympic Games, and at the 1999 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup. She is a free agent. Coimbr ...

. Mackenzie holds the record of 15 Minas Gerais Women's Volleyball Championships. The club maintained a professional team in the Brazilian Women's Volleyball Superleague between the seasons 2007–08 and 2011–12.

Women's Volleyball

Initial Years and Team Creation

Volleyball is played in Mackenzie since its inception.

1950-1959

Mackenzie riled the volleyball in Minas Gerais in 50's, when the team won 7 state titles in a row, between the years 1952 and 1957. Also, the team won the city championship six times in a row. The main players in this period were Juraci Raso, Zezé. Miriam, Oraida, Mirtes, Zuzu, Margot, Josefina, Estela, Laís Turner and Lia de Freitas. The managers in the period were Hélcio Nunan and Mário Lopes. That was the beginning of the rivalry with

Minas Tênis Clube Minas Tênis Clube (short, just ''Minas'') is a social, recreational and sports club from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. By 2013, it has more than 73,000 members. Its patrimony comprises two urban units, the Minas I and Minas II, and two country units, ...

. Both are located in the same neighborhood, and ruled the local Women's volleyball scene, jointly with

Clube Atlético Mineiro Clube Atlético Mineiro (), commonly known as Atlético Mineiro or Atlético, and colloquially as Galo (, "Rooster"), is the largest professional football club based in the city of Belo Horizonte, the capital city of the Brazilian state of Mi ...

1960-1969

In 1963 the club won its most important title: the Brazil Championship of Champion Clubs. The tournament was held in

Juiz de Fora Juiz de Fora (, '' Outsider Judge''), also known as J.F., is a city in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, approximately from the state border with Rio de Janeiro. According to 2020 estimates the current population is about 57 ...

, and the other teams where Pinheiros (SP), Fluminense (RJ), e América (CE). The Mackenzie team was Lia de Freitas, Silene, Íris, Necy, Hilda, Leonésia, Carminha, Neusinha, Lúcia, Jacira e Rosinha. Betinho was the manager.

1970-1979

Once again in the 70's Mackenzie ruled the volleyball in Minas Gerais. The club won 7 state championships in a row. Also, it had meaningful campaigns in the national championship.

2000-present days

The club kept a professional Women's volleyball team in the Brazilian Superleague from the season 2007/2008 to 2011/2012. Its best campaign was in the season 2008/2009, when it finished in the 6th position. The team withdraw from disputing the Superleague 2012/2013 due to lack of sponsorship. Mackenzie

References

{{volleyball-team-stub Multi-sport clubs in Brazil Volleyball clubs in Minas Gerais (state) Sports clubs and teams in Belo Horizonte Volleyball clubs in Brazil