Three-time champion with Levski Sofia, Damian Kolev, continues his career in Germany.

Damian Kolev, a three-time champion with Levski Sofia, has signed with Barock Volley (Ludwigsburg) for the upcoming season. The club, located near Stuttgart, aims to elevate volleyball to a higher level. The men's team will compete in the German elite league for the first time this season, finishing sixth in the regular season and qualifying for the playoffs. Barock Volley (Ludwigsburg) also has a women's team and a youth academy.

Kolev is leaving Levski Sofia after a remarkably successful period. He joined Levski from Dobrich in 2018 and quickly established himself as a key player. With the youth team, he won two Bulgarian championships. After a season with "Rakovski" (Sevlievo), he returned to Levski and became a cornerstone of the men's team. He won three consecutive championships, three Super Cup titles, and one Bulgarian Cup, earning seven out of nine possible trophies. Kolev also played a significant role in the historic gold medal at the 2024/25 World Championship, which the national team secured with silver medals in the 2025 World Championships.

“I will miss the people most from Levski. The teammates, the coaching staff, and everyone who works for the club to make things happen. I would like to thank the fans for their support. Seeing full stadiums, all the attention focused on you, knowing they’ve set aside their time – that means a lot to me. I’m excited for the upcoming season and will demand the best from myself because we always came out with a winning mentality,” Damian Kolev shared.

"Damian was present in every match leading to the club's trophies over the last three years. A young man who has achieved a lot thanks to his dedication, self-sacrifice, respect for teammates, coaches, and the club. These qualities, along with his volleyball skills, earned him a place on last year's silver medal-winning national team. I remember the first meeting with Damian's family, where we decided that the next step in his volleyball journey would be VK Levski Sofia. Nine years later, his name is an integral part of the club's history and heart. Always one of us," commented VK Levski President David Davidov.

"When Damian returned from Sevlievo, I saw a man who was 100% dedicated to what he was doing. An absolute professional in every action and training session. He became an example for everyone that when you are fully dedicated to what you do, success is inevitable. I’m glad we believed in him. I wish him good health, much success, and will be following him. It was a pleasure to be with him," said Levski’s senior coach Nikolay Zhelezkov.

The sport director of Ludwigsburg, Michael Dornheim, expressed his excitement about Kolev's arrival: "With Damian, we have acquired a top libero with international experience. His experience, intelligence, and leadership qualities will be a huge asset to our team."