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In a very short space of time, GZC Donk has become one of the top teams in women's water polo in Europe. With the impressive signing of six Dutch national team players, the side from Gouda has launched its first serious title bid since winning the Dutch Eredivisie back in 2019.
Recently, the club announced that Sabrina Van der Sloot, Maartje Keuning, Brigitte Sleeking, Vivian Sevenich, Marit Van der Weijden, and Sarah Buis have all joined the eleven-time Dutch champions. All but the latter are returning to the Netherlands from playing abroad.
The marquee (re-)signing is that of former captain Sabrina Van der Sloot, who, alongside Maartje Keuning, joins Donk from Spanish giants Sabadell. Vivian Sevenich, who won the Spanish league with Mataro last season, also ends her time in Spain, as does another powerful center-forward, Marit Van der Weijden (Mediterrani).
Another returnee to the club is Brigitte Sleeking, who played for Donk the season before last, with spells at Sant Andreu, Olympiacos, and Vouliagmeni mixed in.
Goalkeeper Sarah Buis, formerly of Dunaujvaros, is the only player transferring within the league, joining from UZSC.
All six players were members of the Dutch national team that won gold at the World Championships in Fukuoka in the summer of 2023, while all but Buis played a role in the European triumph in Eindhoven earlier this year. Van der Sloot, Keuning, Sleeking, and Sevenich all made appearances at the Tokyo Olympics, and all but Van der Weijden are in the squad for the Paris Olympic Games.
GZC Donk is a historic club from the Netherlands, famously winning three of the first four Women's Champions League titles (then named the European Cup) in 1988, 1989, and 1991.
