Neslihan Demir

Neslihan Demir, (born December 9, 1983 in Eskişehir) is a Turkish volleyball star, plays for Eczacıbaşı VitrA. She is one of the most successful athletes of Turkey and has been among FIVB Heroes. She represented her country as the flag-bearer at the 2012 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations and the official advertisement face of Turkey for 2020 Summer Olympics candidate with basketballer Hedo Türkoğlu. Her position is opposite-hitter and she has won a lot of personal awards in international tournaments. She studied at Gazi University.

She played for the Yeşilyurt, VakıfBank Türk Telekom and Spar Tenerife Marichal.

She played over 100 times for the national team.

At age 19, Darnel was the leading player in the Turkish team that won the silver medal at the EC 2003 in Turkey making her a star in her home country and in the volleyball scene.

In 2007/08 Darnel took a break from volleyball to become a mother.

Playing with VakıfBank Güneş Sigorta Türk Telekom at the CEV Indesit Champions League, she won the "Best Scorer" award.

She was named Sportsperson of Year in 2003 & 2004 by Newspaper Sabah and in 2006 by Newspaper Milliyet. She was awarded Best Scorer at the 2006 World Championship and 2010 World Championship

Darnel was selected as FIVB Hero by FIVB in May 2012. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she was selected to be the at the flagbearer of her home country.

Darnel won the Best Spiker individual award during the 2013–14 CEV Champions League Final Four held in Baku, Azerbaijan. There her team lost the semifinal to VakıfBank İstanbul and the Bronze Medal match to Rabita Baku.

Neslihan Demir married Orkun Darnel, captain of the Galatasaray Swimming team, on July 16, 2006. The couple have a daughter named Zeynep Penelope. Orkun Darnel became manager of Galatasaray Daikin women's volleyball team after playing water polo at the same club for twenty years. The couple announced their divorce in March 2013.

• Eskişehir DSI (1995–1998)
• Yeşilyurt (1998–2002)
• Vakıfbank Güneş Sigorta (2002–2006)
• Spar Tenerife Marichal (2006–2008)
• Vakıfbank Güneş Sigorta (2008–2010)
• Eczacıbaşı VitrA (2010–present)

Individuals

• 2002-2003 Indesit Champions League "Best Scorer"
• 2002-2003 Indesit Champions League "Best Server"
• 2003-2004 Top Teams Cup Final Four "Most Valuable Player"
• 2003-2004 Top Teams Cup Final Four "Best Server"
• 2005-2006 Indesit Champions League Final Four "Best Scorer"
• 2005-2006 Indesit Champions League "Best Server"
• 2006 World Championship "Best Scorer"
• 2007 Montreux Volley Masters "Best Scorer"
• 2009 European Volleyball League "Most Valuable Player"
• 2009 European Volleyball League "Best Scorer"
• 2009-2010 Indesit Champions League Preliminary Round "Best Scorer"
• 2010 European Volleyball League "Best Scorer"
• 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix European Qualification "Best Scorer"
• 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix European Qualification "Most Valuable Player"
• 2010 World Championship "Best Scorer"
• 2011 European Championship "Best Scorer"
• 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix "Best Server"
• 2013-14 CEV Champions League "Best Spiker"

National team

• 2003 European Championship - Silver Medal
• 2005 Mediterranean Games - Gold Medal
• 2009 Mediterranean Games - Silver Medal
• 2009 European League - Silver Medal
• 2010 European League - Bronze Medal
• 2011 European League - Silver Medal
• 2011 European Championship - Bronze Medal
• 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix - Bronze Medal
• 2013 Mediterranean Games - Silver Medal

Clubs

• 2003-04 Turkish Championship - Champion, with Vakifbank Günes Sigorta Istanbul
• 2003-04 CEV Top Teams Cup - Champion, with Vakifbank Günes Sigorta Istanbul
• 2004-05 Turkish Championship - Champion, with Vakifbank Günes Sigorta Istanbul
• 2005-06 Turkish Championship - Runner-up, with Vakifbank Günes Sigorta Istanbul
• 2006-07 Spanish Championship - Runner-up, with Spar Tenerife Marichal
• 2006-2007 Indesit Champions League - Bronze Medal with Spar Tenerife Marichal
• 2008 Spanish Super Cup - Champion, with Spar Tenerife Marichal
• 2009-2010 Turkish Championship - Runner-up, with Vakifbank Günes Sigorta Istanbul
• 2011 Turkish Cup - Champion, with Eczacıbaşı VitrA
• 2011 Turkish Super Cup - Champion, with Eczacıbaşı VitrA
• 2011-2012 Turkish Championship - Champion, with Eczacıbaşı VitrA
• 2012 Turkish Cup - Champion, with Eczacıbaşı VitrA
• 2012 Turkish Volleyball Super Cup - Champion, with Eczacıbaşı VitrA
• 2012-2013 Turkish Women's Volleyball Cup - Runner-Up, with Eczacıbaşı VitrA
• 2012-2013 Turkish Women's Volleyball League - Runner-Up, with Eczacıbaşı VitrA
• 2014–15 CEV Champions League - Champion, with Eczacıbaşı VitrA
• 2015 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship - Champion, with Eczacıbaşı VitrA
• 2016 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship - Champion, with Eczacıbaşı VitrA