Sakari Mäkinen played an exceptional February with Akaa-Volley, taking part in as many as ten league matches and winning eight of them. The 30‑year‑old outside hitter was repeatedly the backbone of his team with his versatile skill set.
Mäkinen has previously been named Player of the Month four times: in September–October 2019, November 2020, January 2021, and October 2021.
Pölkky Kuusamo played five matches in February, collecting full league points with set scores of 15–1. The Latvian opposite Dambrehte averaged 14.8 points per match with an efficiency of 11.4. Her attack success rate stood at an impressive 51 percent. For the 23‑year‑old Dambrehte, this was the second selection of her career; she received her first award in March 2025.
The women’s Team of the Month for February features three players from Pölkky Kuusamo, two from LiigaPloki, and one each from Puijo Wolley and LP Viesti. From Pölkky, Dambrehte is joined by outside hitter Bridgette Smith and middle blocker Jenna Zydlo. LiigaPloki’s first selections of the season went to outside hitter Marily Lass and libero Nitta Korhonen. The setter position was taken by Puijo’s Liina Räty, and the second middle blocker spot by LP Viesti’s Ella Autere.
Lass and Korhonen were first‑timers with their selections; all others had already been chosen at least once earlier this season.
The men’s Team of the Month features players from five different clubs. Akaa-Volley earned two spots through Mäkinen and libero Kandai Goto, as did Hurrikaani with setter Joel Laakso and outside hitter Takumi Kameyama. The other selections are middle blocker Matt Gentry from AC Oulu Volley, middle blocker Tomas Bukacek from Kokkolan Tiikerit, and opposite Urpo Sivula from VaLePa.
Joel Laakso has been included in all four Team of the Month selections this season, and Goto now in three. This time, there were no first‑timers in the men’s lineup. For Sivula, this was already his 15th selection, and for Mäkinen the 14th. Among male players, only Mikko Esko (24), Olli Kunnari (21), Tommi Siirilä (15), and Matti Oivanen (14) have earned more selections.
The Players of the Month have been chosen since 2003; this was the 144th selection. The Teams of the Month have been chosen monthly since 2010. The selections are made by the head coaches of the Finnish Volleyball League teams.
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VitaePro Agile Player of the Month
Megija Dambrehte, Pölkky Kuusamo
Sakari Mäkinen, Akaa-Volley
Women’s Team of the Month – February 2026
Setter: Liina Räty, Puijo Wolley (5th selection)
Opposite: Megija Dambrehte, Pölkky Kuusamo (8)
Outside Hitter: Bridgette Smith, Pölkky Kuusamo (2)
Outside Hitter: Marily Lass, LiigaPloki (1)
Middle Blocker: Ella Autere, LP Viesti (6)
Middle Blocker: Jenna Zydlo, Pölkky Kuusamo (2)
Libero: Nitta Korhonen, LiigaPloki (1)
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Men’s Team of the Month – February 2026
Setter: Joel Laakso, Hurrikaani‑Loimaa (7th selection)
Opposite: Urpo Sivula, VaLePa (15)
Outside Hitter: Sakari Mäkinen, Akaa-Volley (14)
Outside Hitter: Takumi Kameyama, Hurrikaani‑Loimaa (2)
Middle Blocker: Tomas Bukacek, Kokkolan Tiikerit (2)
Middle Blocker: Matt Gentry, AC Oulu Volley (2)
Libero: Kandai Goto, Akaa-Volley (2)
Teksti: Toni Flink
