LUTSK, UKRAINE- Former New Orleans volleyball player Edina Dobi helped move her native Hungary one step closer to qualifying for the FIVB World Championships over the weekend.
A middle blocker for the Hungarian senior women's national team, Dobi appeared in all three matches during the initial stage of European qualifying for next year's World Championships in Italy.
With Dobi playing a key role for Hungary, the squad posted a 2-1 record with wins in straight sets over Albania and Moldova before a lone 3-1 loss to Ukraine.
The result advanced the Hungarian side to a tournament slated for Oct. 2-6 that will include Greece, Israel, Latvia, Montenegro and Switzerland. The top three teams from the second round tournament will reach the final stage of World Championship qualifying for European nations.
Dobi totaled nine kills, six service aces and five blocks during the three-day tournament. Dobi hit at a .474 clip while just needing 19 attack attempts to accumulate her nine kills.
The former Privateer started the tournament with four kills and two blocks against Albania before tallying three kills and two blocks in the win over Moldova. In the tournament finale, she served up three aces against group winner Ukraine.
A member of the Hungarian junior national teams prior to her arrival at UNO in 2008, Dobi recently announced that she will join the Belgian squad Dauphines Charlerol for the next professional season. She most recently competed in France with Ente Saint-Chamond.
Prior to her professional career, Dobi competed as a Privateer from 2008 through 2010, playing alongside current UNO assistant Nicky Valenti on a team that hoisted the 2009 Sun Belt Conference West Division championship.
Dobi's final season on the Lakefront was the first for current head coach Kim Young-Buford and was capped by an All-Louisiana second team nod.
Over the course of three seasons, the 6-3 middle blocker contested 81 matches for UNO and totaled 530 kills. Dobi's best season came in 2010 when she averaged 3.45 kills per set, hitting .287 in the process. Dobi also added career-highs in service aces (29) and blocks (57).
Additional updates on Dobi and her efforts with the Hungarian national team will be posted upon the completion of her next competition in October. Fans are encouraged to follow the UNO athletic department's official Twitter account (@UNOPrivateers) for additional updates on former Privateer student-athletes competing at the professional level.
