Cansu Özbay (born October 17, 1996) is a Turkish volleyball player who plays as a setter for VakıfBank and has represented the Türkiye women’s national team across two Olympic cycles. Born in İzmir, she developed through clubs in her home region before playing for Beşiktaş and Nilüfer Belediyespor, then joined VakıfBank for the 2016–17 season. She has remained with the Istanbul club ever since, building a résumé that includes five CEV Champions League titles and three FIVB Club World Championship gold medals.
Internationally, Özbay was named Best Setter when Türkiye won silver in the inaugural Volleyball Nations League in 2018. She later formed part of the teams that won the VNL and European Championship in 2023, reached Türkiye’s first Olympic semifinal at Paris 2024, earned the country’s first World Championship medal with silver in 2025, and added another VNL–EuroVolley title double in 2026. Her career has developed around one of volleyball’s most demanding roles: controlling tempo, balancing multiple attacking options and making decisions under pressure.
Player Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Cansu Özbay |
| Date of Birth | October 17, 1996 |
| Age | 30 |
| Birthplace | İzmir, Türkiye |
| Nationality | Turkish |
| Position | Setter |
| Height | 182 cm |
| Weight | 78 kg |
| Spike Reach | 285 cm |
| Block Reach | 275 cm |
| Dominant Hand | Left |
| Previous Clubs | Göztepe, Arkas, Beşiktaş, Nilüfer Belediyespor |
| Current Club | VakıfBank |
| Current League | Vodafone Sultanlar Ligi |
| Club Number | 3 |
| National Team | Türkiye Women’s National Volleyball Team |
| National-Team Number | 3 |
| Olympic Appearances | Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024 |
| University | Yeditepe University |
| Career Status | Active |
| @ozbaycansu |
Current Turkish Volleyball Federation roster data and VakıfBank list Özbay at 182 cm, while Volleyball World’s recent competition profiles retain a 179 cm figure. TVF lists her at 78 kg, and her CEV competition profile gives a 285 cm spike reach and 275 cm block reach.
Early Life & Volleyball Beginnings
Özbay was born in İzmir and grew up in a family that supported her sporting development from an early age. The Cansu Özbay Volleyball Academy biography gives Urla as her birthplace within İzmir and identifies her as the first child of Nursel and Özkan Özbay. It also records that she later graduated from Yeditepe University while continuing her volleyball career.
Her volleyball development began locally rather than inside one of Istanbul’s major professional clubs. She first played in the Balçova Belediyesi youth system before moving through Göztepe and Arkas. The academy’s career history places her at Göztepe in 2011–12 and Arkas from 2012 to 2014, while VakıfBank’s player biography identifies the Arkas youth program as the development base from which she entered senior volleyball.
The next step came in 2014, when Özbay transferred to Beşiktaş. She spent the second half of the 2014–15 season with Nilüfer Belediyespor before returning to Beşiktaş, where she completed the 2015–16 campaign. That sequence gave her senior match experience before the move that would define the rest of her club career.
VakıfBank signed Özbay ahead of 2016–17. She arrived at about 20 years old in a squad accustomed to competing for domestic, European and world titles. Rather than moving again for playing time, she developed inside that environment and eventually became one of the club’s longest-serving current players.
Club Career
Establishing Herself at VakıfBank
Moving to VakıfBank placed Özbay alongside experienced international setters and attackers at a stage when she was still transitioning into elite senior volleyball. Her first seasons therefore involved more than simply learning a new system: she had to operate in an organization where every competition was treated as a title opportunity.
The adjustment did not take long to produce major results. VakıfBank won the 2017 CEV Champions League and the 2017 FIVB Club World Championship, then successfully defended both titles in 2018. Özbay was part of those squads as her role steadily increased.
Her first major individual domestic recognition also came during that period. VakıfBank’s official career record lists her as the Best Setter of the 2017–18 Turkish League, and she repeated the award the following season. Those honors coincided with consecutive league championships in 2017–18 and 2018–19.
The importance of staying at VakıfBank went beyond trophy accumulation. In a 2021 CEV interview, Özbay described the pressure of joining a team filled with experienced winners and explained that the environment pushed her to work harder. She also identified making a decision “in a fraction of a second,” especially in critical moments, as her favorite part of playing setter.
From Rotation Setter to Championship Playmaker
By the start of the 2020s, Özbay was no longer being evaluated mainly as a young setter developing behind more established names. She was running VakıfBank’s offense in major finals.
The 2021 Club World Championship provided one of the clearest examples. VakıfBank defeated Conegliano in a five-set final, and FIVB’s championship report highlighted Özbay’s distribution and service pressure alongside Isabelle Haak’s scoring and Chiaka Ogbogu’s middle attack.
That victory gave Özbay her third Club World Championship gold with VakıfBank, following the 2017 and 2018 titles.
The following season brought another peak. VakıfBank won the 2022 CEV Champions League, and Özbay was voted Best Setter in the competition’s All-Star Team. CEV’s season review recorded her selection at setter alongside several VakıfBank teammates.
VakıfBank successfully defended the Champions League crown in 2023, giving Özbay a fourth European title. Her club record also credits her with another Best Setter distinction from that Champions League campaign.
2024–25: League Champion and Finals MVP
The 2024–25 Sultanlar Ligi season delivered one of the strongest individual domestic milestones of Özbay’s career.
VakıfBank returned to the top of the Turkish league, and Özbay was named MVP of the championship final series. The Turkish Volleyball Federation’s awards report confirmed the honor after VakıfBank secured the title, adding an MVP award to the Best Setter distinctions she had collected earlier in her career.
For a setter, that recognition was particularly significant. Finals MVP awards often follow the highest-volume scorer, but Özbay’s selection reflected the influence a setter can exert through tempo, distribution and decision-making across an entire series.
The championship was also VakıfBank’s fifth Turkish league title with Özbay on the senior roster at that point.
2025–26: A Domestic and European Treble
VakıfBank followed the 2024–25 league title with an even stronger 2025–26 season.
The first major trophy arrived in March 2026, when VakıfBank defeated Eczacıbaşı Dynavit 3–1 in the Turkish Cup final. Özbay started at setter as the club won another domestic cup. The TVF final report records VakıfBank as the 2026 champion.
Less than a month later, VakıfBank and Fenerbahçe took the Sultanlar Ligi championship series to a fifth match. VakıfBank won the decider 3–1, with Özbay again starting at setter, to secure a second consecutive league championship and the sixth Turkish league title of her VakıfBank career. TVF’s championship report documents the deciding victory.
Europe completed the treble.
VakıfBank recovered from two sets down to defeat Conegliano in the Champions League semifinal and then beat Eczacıbaşı 3–1 in the final in Istanbul. Özbay started both matches as the club won its record seventh European crown. For Özbay personally, the result was her fifth CEV Champions League title, following victories in 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023.
The title also completed the three-trophy sequence Özbay had discussed before the Final Four. In an April 2026 interview with Anadolu Agency, she spoke about wanting an all-Turkish Champions League final. VakıfBank and Eczacıbaşı ultimately delivered exactly that matchup.
Opening 2026–27 with the Turkish Super Cup
VakıfBank renewed Özbay’s contract during the 2026 offseason. Anadolu Agency reported in June that she was among the players signing new deals to continue with the club for 2026–27.
The new season started with another trophy. On October 6, VakıfBank defeated Eczacıbaşı 3–2 in the Turkish Super Cup after taking the first two sets, losing the next two and winning the tie-break 15–10. Özbay was again the starting setter. The TVF match report confirmed VakıfBank as champion.
Current VakıfBank and CEV records continue to list her as No. 3, extending her long association with the club into the 2026–27 season.
Club Career Timeline
| Seasons | Team | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2011–2012 | Göztepe | Türkiye |
| 2012–2014 | Arkas | Türkiye |
| 2014–2016 | Beşiktaş | Türkiye |
| 2014–2015 | Nilüfer Belediyespor — second-half spell | Türkiye |
| 2016–present | VakıfBank | Türkiye |
The overlapping Nilüfer entry reflects a temporary second-half move during her Beşiktaş period rather than a separate full-season stage. VakıfBank’s official biography and the academy career record agree on the broader progression into the club in 2016.
National Team Career
Youth International Path and Senior Breakthrough
Özbay represented Türkiye through multiple age-group levels before becoming an established senior international. CEV’s competition history traces her through youth, junior and U23 national-team competition before her senior European Championship years.
Her first major senior medals arrived quickly.
Türkiye took bronze at EuroVolley 2017 before reaching the final of the inaugural Volleyball Nations League in 2018. The VNL became the tournament in which Özbay’s international role moved into clearer focus.
Türkiye finished second, losing the final to the United States, while Özbay was named Best Setter. An FIVB profile of Özbay later recalled that she had averaged 11.39 successful setting actions during the preliminary phase before raising that figure to 23.22 in the final round.
The award established her as more than a young setter filling a national-team role after the era of more experienced Turkish playmakers. She had become capable of running the senior offense through a major global tournament.
Türkiye added European Championship silver in 2019, followed by VNL and EuroVolley bronze medals in 2021. By then, Özbay had accumulated repeated medal-stage experience with both club and country.
Tokyo 2020 and the Transition to a New Türkiye
Özbay was selected for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, her first Olympic appearance.
Türkiye reached the quarterfinals, beginning an Olympic progression that would continue three years later in Paris. The Tokyo cycle was also part of a broader transition in the national team: the setter group evolved, younger attackers assumed larger roles, and Özbay moved from being the player replacing an established generation to being one of the experienced players herself.
That experience became especially important in the national-team changes that followed.
The 2023 Championship Season
Türkiye’s 2023 season changed the team’s international standing.
Daniele Santarelli arrived as head coach, Melissa Vargas became eligible for Türkiye, and Özbay helped connect a new-look attack that suddenly had extraordinary scoring power on the right side.
An early VNL match against Serbia illustrated how the system could work. Vargas led Türkiye with 21 points, yet three other attackers also reached double figures, and Volleyball World’s match report credited Özbay’s distribution for spreading the offense beyond the primary opposite.
Türkiye went on to win the 2023 Volleyball Nations League, the first global senior title in the history of the women’s national team.
A few weeks later, Türkiye defeated Serbia in a five-set EuroVolley final and became European champion for the first time. Özbay was again part of the championship roster, completing a summer in which Türkiye won both the VNL and European Championship.
The team then went unbeaten through the Olympic Qualification Tournament to secure its place at Paris 2024.
Paris 2024: Türkiye Reaches the Olympic Final Four
Özbay returned for her second Olympic Games at Paris 2024.
Türkiye defeated China in a five-set quarterfinal to reach the Olympic semifinals for the first time in the history of the women’s program. The team ultimately lost to Italy in the semifinal and Brazil in the bronze-medal match, finishing fourth.
Her Paris 2024 competition profile records her participation in the tournament.
Fourth place did not produce a medal, but it represented Türkiye’s best Olympic finish to that point and placed Özbay in the squad for another national-team first.
2025 World Championship Silver
The 2025 World Championship became one of the strongest tournaments of Özbay’s senior international career.
Türkiye reached the semifinals unbeaten and faced Japan for a place in its first World Championship final. Özbay started at setter as Türkiye recovered from losing the opening set and won 3–1. TVF’s semifinal report records the historic qualification.
She started again in the final against Italy.
Türkiye twice drew level in sets and pushed the championship match to a tie-break before Italy won. The silver medal was the first World Championship medal in Türkiye women’s volleyball history, as confirmed by TVF’s final report.
Özbay’s tournament also produced a significant statistical marker for her position. Volleyball World ranked her third among all setters with 151 successful sets, behind Japan’s Nanami Seki and the Netherlands’ Sarah van Aalen. Its tournament statistics review recorded that total.
That ranking reflected a tournament in which Özbay was not merely part of the roster but was running the offense through the decisive semifinal and final.
2026: Another VNL and EuroVolley Double
Özbay remained in Türkiye’s national-team program in 2026, with TVF naming her among the setters in the VNL group.
Türkiye went on to win its second VNL title, defeating Brazil 3–1 in the final in Macao. Özbay’s role was different from the high-volume setting responsibility she carried at the 2025 World Championship, but she remained part of the championship group throughout the tournament.
EuroVolley brought another title in September.
Türkiye defeated Italy 3–2 in Istanbul to retain the European Championship. Elif Şahin started the final, while Özbay entered from the bench as Türkiye twice came back from a set down before taking the tie-break. The victory also qualified Türkiye directly for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
CEV’s competition history continues to list Özbay as No. 3 for Türkiye, extending an international record that now covers more than a decade of senior and age-group national-team competition.
Playing Style & Strengths
Özbay’s strongest trait is decision-making under time pressure. Setter play is naturally built around rapid choices, but in her case the description comes directly from how she understands the position: in her CEV interview, she identified making a decision “in a fraction of a second, especially in critical moments” as her favorite part of setting. That instinct fits a career spent in teams expected to win high-pressure finals rather than simply reach them.
Her distribution is most effective when she can keep several attacking lanes active instead of allowing the offense to become predictable. The 2023 VNL match against Serbia is a useful example. Vargas led Türkiye with 21 points, yet three other attackers also reached double figures, and Volleyball World specifically pointed to Özbay’s distribution. For a setter, that balance matters because it makes the opposing block choose between committing resources to the primary scorer and respecting the middle and left-side options.
Özbay has also shown that she can adapt to very different elite attackers. Across her VakıfBank career, she has set players with contrasting tempos and preferences, from high-volume opposites such as Isabelle Haak, Paola Egonu and Tijana Bošković to fast middle attackers and reception-oriented outside hitters. The personnel have changed repeatedly while Özbay has remained part of the club’s offensive structure.
Her work in the 2021 Club World Championship final showed another layer. FIVB’s final report praised not only her distribution but also the pressure she created from the service line as VakıfBank defeated Conegliano. Serving is not the defining component of her profile, but it gives her an additional way to influence rotations without being a front-row scorer.
At 182 cm, Özbay also has useful size for the setter position. It does not transform her into a primary blocking option, but it allows her to offer more resistance when rotating to the front row than a much smaller setter might. Her CEV career statistics include both blocks and service aces, reinforcing that her contribution is not restricted entirely to the second contact.
The 2025 World Championship gives the strongest recent statistical evidence of her setting workload. Finishing third in the tournament with 151 successful sets while starting Türkiye’s semifinal and final shows a setter trusted to manage an offense at the deepest stage of a major international championship.
Major Achievements
Selected National Team Honors
| Year | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | CEV European Championship | Bronze |
| 2018 | Volleyball Nations League | Silver |
| 2019 | CEV European Championship | Silver |
| 2021 | Volleyball Nations League | Bronze |
| 2021 | CEV European Championship | Bronze |
| 2023 | Volleyball Nations League | Gold |
| 2023 | CEV European Championship | Gold |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Fourth place |
| 2025 | FIVB Women’s World Championship | Silver |
| 2026 | Volleyball Nations League | Gold |
| 2026 | CEV European Championship | Gold |
The 2018 VNL silver included Özbay’s Best Setter award, while the 2025 World Championship silver was Türkiye’s first medal in that competition. The 2026 season added a second VNL championship and a second consecutive European title.
Selected Club Honors
| Year / Season | Competition | Result | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | CEV Champions League | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2017 | FIVB Club World Championship | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2017–18 | CEV Champions League | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2017–18 | Turkish League | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2018 | FIVB Club World Championship | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2018–19 | Turkish League | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2020–21 | Turkish League | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2021 | FIVB Club World Championship | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2021–22 | CEV Champions League | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2021–22 | Turkish League | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2022–23 | CEV Champions League | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2024–25 | Turkish League | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2025–26 | Turkish Cup | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2025–26 | Turkish League | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2025–26 | CEV Champions League | Winner | VakıfBank |
| 2026 | Turkish Super Cup | Winner | VakıfBank |
VakıfBank’s current career record credits Özbay with five Champions League titles, three Club World Championships, six Turkish league titles and five Turkish Cups during her tenure. The 2026 Super Cup victory opened the current season with another trophy.
Selected Individual Awards
| Year / Season | Competition | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Turkish League | Best Setter |
| 2018 | Volleyball Nations League | Best Setter |
| 2018 | Montreux Volley Masters | Best Setter |
| 2018–19 | Turkish League | Best Setter |
| 2021 | Turkish Super Cup | MVP |
| 2021–22 | CEV Champions League | Best Setter |
| 2021–22 | Turkish League | Best Setter |
| 2022–23 | CEV Champions League | Best Setter |
| 2024–25 | Sultanlar Ligi Finals | MVP |
FIVB’s profile of Özbay records the 2018 VNL Best Setter honor, while CEV’s 2022 season review confirms her Champions League Best Setter selection. TVF officially named her MVP of the 2024–25 Sultanlar Ligi final series.
Off the Court
Özbay’s connection to player development now extends beyond her own career.
The Cansu Özbay Volleyball Academy was established in August 2024 by her parents, Nursel and Özkan Özbay, with a stated focus on teaching children and young players proper volleyball technique, physical and mental development, and team culture. The program began with a mini team in 2024–25 and expanded to additional age groups the following season.
The project is closely connected to Özbay’s own route through youth volleyball in İzmir. Her academy biography traces her beginnings through Balçova Belediyesi, Göztepe and Arkas before the move into senior professional volleyball, making the academy a direct continuation of a development pathway she experienced herself.
She also completed her university education alongside her playing career, graduating from Yeditepe University.
Where Is Cansu Özbay Playing Now?
As of October 23, 2026, Cansu Özbay remains a setter for VakıfBank in the Vodafone Sultanlar Ligi and wears No. 3. CEV’s current European competition record lists her with VakıfBank for 2026–27, while the club’s current first-team roster also identifies her among its setters.
Her continuation was confirmed during the offseason. VakıfBank signed Özbay to a new agreement as part of the group retained for 2026–27, extending a club relationship that began in 2016.
The season has already produced silverware. Özbay started the October 6, 2026 Turkish Super Cup against Eczacıbaşı, with VakıfBank winning 3–2. It was the club’s first major trophy of the new campaign after completing the previous season with the Turkish Cup, Sultanlar Ligi and Champions League titles.
Özbay also remains part of the Türkiye Women’s National Volleyball Team. She competed during the 2026 VNL championship campaign and was included in the EuroVolley 2026 squad that retained the European title in Istanbul.
Recent Performance Snapshot
2025 World Championship
| Category | Result |
|---|---|
| Team Result | Silver |
| Setter Ranking | 3rd |
| Successful Sets | 151 |
| Semifinal Role | Starting Setter |
| Final Role | Starting Setter |
Özbay’s 2025 World Championship was one of the clearest recent demonstrations of her importance to Türkiye. She started the semifinal win over Japan and the five-set final against Italy, while Volleyball World’s tournament statistics review ranked her third among setters with 151 successful sets.
2025–26 VakıfBank Season
| Competition | Result |
|---|---|
| Turkish Cup | Champion |
| Sultanlar Ligi | Champion |
| CEV Champions League | Champion |
| Role in Each Final | Starting Setter |
Özbay started all three major trophy-deciding matches as VakıfBank completed its 2025–26 treble. The sequence began with a 3–1 Turkish Cup win over Eczacıbaşı, continued with a 3–1 victory over Fenerbahçe in the fifth league-final match, and ended with a 3–1 Champions League final win over Eczacıbaşı.
2026 Volleyball Nations League
| Statistic | Total |
|---|---|
| Matches | 11 |
| Total Points | 4 |
| Attack Points | 1 |
| Block Points | 2 |
| Aces | 1 |
| Team Result | Gold |
The 2026 VNL was a different national-team role from the previous World Championship. Türkiye used multiple setters, and Özbay shared responsibilities rather than controlling every major match. She still appeared in 11 matches during a campaign that ended with Türkiye defeating Brazil 3–1 for its second VNL championship.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Cansu Özbay?
Cansu Özbay was born on October 17, 1996, so she is 30 years old as of October 23, 2026.
How tall is Cansu Özbay?
Current VakıfBank, TVF and CEV records list Özbay at 182 cm. Volleyball World competition profiles use 179 cm, creating a recurring database discrepancy.
What position does Cansu Özbay play?
Özbay is a setter. Her role centers on organizing the offense, controlling tempo and deciding which attacker receives the second contact.
Which club does Cansu Özbay play for?
She plays for VakıfBank in Türkiye and wears No. 3. CEV lists her with VakıfBank for the 2026–27 European season.
How many CEV Champions League titles has Cansu Özbay won?
Özbay has won five CEV Champions League titles with VakıfBank: 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2026.
What is Cansu Özbay’s Instagram?
Her Instagram account is @ozbaycansu.
References
- VakıfBank Sports Club — Cansu Özbay Player Profile
- VakıfBank Sports Club — Current Women’s Team Roster
- CEV — Cansu Özbay 2026–27 European Competition Record
- Türkiye Volleyball Federation — Women’s National Team Roster
- FIVB — Cansu Özbay Has Her Say
- CEV Champions League — Cansu Özbay on Pressure and Setter Decision-Making
- FIVB — Haak Blazes VakıfBank to Fourth World Title
- CEV — Year in Review: CEV Club Competitions
- Volleyball World — Türkiye vs. Serbia, 2023 VNL
- Volleyball World — 2025 World Championship Statistical Leaders
- Türkiye Volleyball Federation — Türkiye Reaches the 2025 World Championship Final
- Türkiye Volleyball Federation — Türkiye Wins 2025 World Championship Silver
- Türkiye Volleyball Federation — VakıfBank Wins the 2026 Turkish Cup
- Türkiye Volleyball Federation — VakıfBank Wins the 2025–26 Sultanlar Ligi
- CEV Champions League — VakıfBank Claims Historic Seventh European Crown
- Anadolu Agency — Cansu Özbay Wants an All-Turkish Champions League Final
- Anadolu Agency — VakıfBank Retains 11 Players for the 2026–27 Season
- Türkiye Volleyball Federation — VakıfBank Wins the 2026 Turkish Super Cup
- Cansu Özbay Volleyball Academy — Cansu Özbay Biography
- Cansu Özbay Volleyball Academy — Academy Profile
