From 12th to 5th place, Nice Volley-Ball has overturned predictions this season. Driven by a united team and led by a determined coach, the smallest budget in the Marmara SpikeLigue has made its way among the big players. A review of an “exceptional 2024-2025 season”.
After a disappointing 2023-2024 season, finishing in 12th place, Nice Volley-Ball (NVB) made a spectacular turnaround in 2024-2025. Under the leadership of Brice Donat, the new coach arriving from Poitiers, the Eagles finished in an impressive 5th place with 41 points on the board. This improvement reflects a profound transformation both tactically and mentally.
Nice Volley-Ball returns to the top of the table
Brice Donat, with his experience and vision, has infused a new dynamic into the team. “I arrive with a lot of ambition, a lot of energy, I want to help the Nice club evolve”, he stated upon taking office. His approach has allowed Nice Volley-Ball to regain an honorable place in the elite of French volleyball. However, the journey ended in the quarter-finals of the playoffs, against Tours. An expected elimination against a team that remains “the NVB’s nemesis”. “Tours is the team with the largest budget in the League, one of the best teams in the championship, and often in the playoffs. We fought but the squad was somewhat depleted”, admits Brice Donat with candor.
The achievement of the smallest budget
With a budget of 1.15 million euros, the lowest in the Marmara SpikeLigue, NVB was not considered a playoff contender. And yet. The Côte d’Azur club defied all predictions. Nice thus surprised all teams (except Tours), and even came close to victory against Montpellier, the leader of the regular season. In every match, the Eagles delivered performances full of character throughout the season.
“The downside” of the Coupe de France
The only blemish: elimination in the first round of the Coupe de France, on the court of Cannes. A 3-1 defeat that abruptly ended Nice’s ambitions in a competition where the club hoped to excel. “This early exit is the negative point of the season”, admits the coach. “We missed the mark, we had a team capable of a good run and of pulling off some surprises. But Cannes was stronger that day.”
A future to build
But with the season barely over, the time has already come for rebuilding. Several key players will leave the club, such as Simon Hirsch (leaving for Montpellier), Nooa Marttila (leaving for Sète), Bruno Dias (leaving for Tourcoing), Alexandro Raptis (leaving for Chaumont). “It’s normal that after such a great season, some players have a lot of offers. However, the goal is to never give up, keep moving forward, with young and dynamic players”, insists the Eagles coach.
Brice Donat will continue the adventure on the Côte d’Azur, being under contract until 2026. The ambitions are clear: “we want to continue performing. The aim is to do as well as this year, or even better, even if it might be challenging.”
Nice Volley-Ball has just closed the chapter of the 2024-2025 season. A rebuilding phase is already underway for the next season. And with Brice Donat at the helm, the Eagles could once again surprise next year.
