Szymon Jakubiszak is a Polish middle blocker who plays for ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle and represents the Poland men’s national volleyball team. Born in Gdańsk in 1998, he came through the Trefl Gdańsk development system and began his senior career as an outside hitter before switching permanently to middle blocker during his season with Cuprum Lubin. That position change became the central turning point of a career that eventually took him into Poland’s senior national team.
Jakubiszak belonged to the Polish junior generation that won the U20 European Championship in 2016 and the U21 World Championship in 2017. His senior breakthrough came much later: he made his Poland debut in 2024 at age 26, then won the VNL in 2025, World Championship bronze later that year, another VNL title in 2026 and the 2026 European Championship. His EuroVolley campaign ended with selection as one of the tournament’s two Best Middle Blockers.
Player Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Szymon Jakubiszak |
| Date of Birth | 13 February 1998 |
| Place of Birth | Gdańsk, Poland |
| Nationality | Polish |
| Gender | Male |
| Position | Middle Blocker |
| Former Position | Outside Hitter |
| Height | 208 cm (6 ft 10 in) |
| Weight | 97 kg (214 lbs) |
| Spike Reach | 370 cm |
| Dominant Hand | Right |
| Previous Clubs | Trefl Gdańsk; Cuprum Lubin; Indykpol AZS Olsztyn |
| Current Club | ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle |
| Club Number | 34 |
| National Team | Poland Men’s National Volleyball Team |
| Senior National Team Since | 2024 |
| National-Team Number | 34 |
| Career Status | Active |
ZAKSA’s current profile and the 2026–27 Polish league registration both list Jakubiszak at 208 cm, 97 kg and a 370 cm attack reach, while Volleyball World uses a height of 210 cm for international competition. The current club and domestic league measurements are used here for the main profile data. His right-handedness is listed by Volleybox.
Early Life & Volleyball Beginnings
Jakubiszak grew up in Gdańsk and developed almost entirely inside the local Trefl system. His first organized volleyball steps came through UKS Jasieniak at Primary School No. 85 before he progressed through Trefl Gdańsk’s youth structure. He played through the club’s youth categories, including the junior and Młoda Liga levels, and signed his first senior contract in 2016 at age 18.
At that stage, Jakubiszak was an outside hitter rather than a middle blocker. His height gave coaches an unusual physical option on the wing, and he had already shown that he could score at senior level when injuries opened opportunities. In a later interview, he recalled one Polish Cup appearance against Bełchatów in which injuries to more established receivers pushed him into a larger role. He also acknowledged that attacking was a stronger part of his game than serve reception during those early years.
His youth international career developed alongside players such as Tomasz Fornal, Jakub Kochanowski and Norbert Huber. Poland won the U20 European title in 2016 and the U21 World Championship in 2017, giving Jakubiszak two major age-group gold medals before he had established himself as a regular senior starter.
Club Career
Trefl Gdańsk: From Academy Player to PlusLiga Outside Hitter
Jakubiszak entered Trefl Gdańsk’s senior team for the 2016–17 season after years in the club’s academy. He remained with the first team through 2019–20, still operating primarily as an outside hitter.
His early senior years included the strongest club honors of that first phase. Trefl won the Polish Cup in 2018 and finished third in the Polish championship, with Jakubiszak part of the roster. By the 2018–19 season he was receiving more regular opportunities, and Trefl’s 2019 contract announcement highlighted a 15-point performance against Jastrzębski Węgiel as one example of him successfully stepping into a larger role when injuries affected the lineup.
After four senior seasons in Gdańsk, he left for Cuprum Lubin in 2020. The move initially appeared to be a conventional transfer for another outside hitter. Instead, it changed the direction of his career.
Cuprum Lubin: The Position Change That Reframed His Career
Jakubiszak arrived in Lubin as a receiver, but injuries to two of Cuprum’s middle blockers created a roster imbalance during preseason and the early part of the campaign. With five outside hitters competing for court time, he saw an opportunity.
The switch was not simply imposed by the coaching staff. Jakubiszak later explained that he asked for the chance to move into the middle because it offered a clearer route onto the court. By the end of the season, the experiment had become permanent. Cuprum’s own departure announcement confirmed that he changed from outside hitter to middle blocker during the 2020–21 season and finished with 143 points in 26 matches, including 26 blocks.
The technical adjustment was uneven in a revealing way. Jakubiszak said that attacking through the middle felt relatively natural because he had occasionally trained there in Gdańsk, whereas learning the blocking responsibilities of the position was much harder. Years later, blocking would become one of the statistical strengths most closely associated with his game.
Four Seasons in Olsztyn and the National-Team Breakthrough
Indykpol AZS Olsztyn signed Jakubiszak in 2021, beginning the longest club phase of his career after Trefl. Across four seasons, he developed from a recently converted middle into an established starter in Poland’s top division.
The 2023–24 campaign was particularly important. Jakubiszak finished second in the league’s blocking classification with 78 winning blocks, and Olsztyn reported that across his first three seasons with the club he had accumulated 541 points in 99 matches, including 137 blocks. That form led directly into his first senior national-team call-up.
Olsztyn retained him for 2024–25, giving Jakubiszak a fourth season in the same environment after his international breakthrough. By the time he left, the middle-blocker conversion that had begun as a practical response to Cuprum’s roster situation had become the foundation of his career.
ZAKSA: A New Club Chapter
ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle announced Jakubiszak as a new signing in July 2025. The move took him to a club with a substantially different competitive history from most of his previous senior stops. In his comments after signing, Jakubiszak said he wanted to compete for trophies and play as much as possible throughout the season.
His first ZAKSA campaign produced one of his strongest blocking seasons. The official Polish league ranking credited him with 60 winning blocks across 27 matches and 120 sets, fourth among all players in the 2025–26 competition. Volleyball World’s competition database also recorded 258 total points, with 191 from attack and eight from serve.
Jakubiszak remained with ZAKSA for 2026–27 and continues to wear number 34. The club’s current player page lists him as one of its middle blockers and confirms the same 208 cm height and 370 cm attack reach used in the domestic league registration.
Club Career Timeline
| Seasons | Team | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2016–2020 | Trefl Gdańsk | Poland |
| 2020–2021 | Cuprum Lubin | Poland |
| 2021–2025 | Indykpol AZS Olsztyn | Poland |
| 2025–present | ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle | Poland |
National Team Career
Jakubiszak’s relationship with Poland’s national teams has two distinct phases separated by several years. He was part of an exceptionally successful junior generation, winning the 2016 U20 European Championship and 2017 U21 World Championship while still playing as an outside hitter. Several teammates from those squads reached the senior national team much earlier, while Jakubiszak’s own route required a position change and several seasons of development as a middle.
Senior Debut at 26
Nikola Grbić called Jakubiszak into the senior setup for the first time in 2024 after his 78-block season in Olsztyn. He made his debut on 15 May in a friendly against Germany at Spodek in Katowice, entering the senior team at age 26.
That debut carried particular significance because Jakubiszak had once doubted that a senior international career would happen. Looking back in 2025, he said that without changing from outside hitter to middle blocker, he probably would not have reached the national team. The switch that began as a solution to Cuprum’s injuries had eventually opened a route into one of the deepest national-team programs in world volleyball.
2025: VNL Gold and a World Championship Medal
Jakubiszak returned to Poland’s squad in 2025 and became a more established option through the middle. Poland reached the VNL Finals in Ningbo and completed the knockout stage without losing a set. In the championship match against Italy, Poland won 3–0, and Jakubiszak delivered the match-winning first-tempo attack that completed the title victory.
He was then selected for the World Championship in the Philippines. Poland lost to Italy in the semifinal but recovered against Czechia in the bronze-medal match. Jakubiszak entered from the bench and became especially influential in the third set; he scored two consecutive points to move Poland to set point at 24–21 before the team completed a 3–1 win. The medal was Poland’s first bronze in the history of the men’s World Championship.
2026: A Larger Role and EuroVolley Recognition
Jakubiszak’s role expanded again in the 2026 VNL. Volleyball World recorded 95 points across the competition: 76 in attack, 18 from blocks and one ace. His attack efficiency was listed at 63.87%. One of his strongest preliminary-round performances came against Slovenia, where he scored 18 points, including 13 kills and five blocks.
He remained in the lineup through the Finals. In the championship match against the United States, Jakubiszak scored 11 points — 10 in attack and one from the block — as Poland won a five-set final to defend its VNL title.
EuroVolley 2026 added another step. Poland defeated France 3–1 in the final in Milan, successfully defending the European title and securing qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Jakubiszak was then named to the EuroVolley All-Star Team as one of the competition’s two Best Middle Blockers, alongside fellow Polish middle Bartłomiej Lemański.
Playing Style & Strengths
Blocking is the clearest long-term statistical marker of Jakubiszak’s game. His second-place finish in the 2023–24 domestic blocking rankings with 78 winning blocks was the performance that helped push him into the senior Poland squad, and two seasons later he again ranked among the league leaders with 60 blocks for ZAKSA. In the 2026 VNL, he added another 18 block points at international level.
His development at the net is particularly notable because blocking was initially the harder part of his position conversion. Jakubiszak has said that attacking through the middle came more naturally when he moved from outside hitter, while learning the reading and movement required in the block demanded a much larger adjustment. The later blocking totals therefore trace a specific technical development rather than simply reflecting the expected duties of a middle blocker.
First-tempo attacking is the other strong component of his current profile. His listed 370 cm attack reach gives setters a large target, but the more meaningful evidence is the efficiency he has sustained at international level. At the 2026 VNL, Jakubiszak scored 76 attack points at 63.87% efficiency, including an 18-point performance against Slovenia built from 13 attack points and five blocks. That kind of production allows Poland to use him as more than a decoy through the middle.
His history as an outside hitter also makes his career technically unusual. Jakubiszak spent his entire youth development and first four senior seasons on the wing before changing positions at 22. He no longer carries serve-reception responsibility as a middle, but the conversion gave him a much broader attacking background than a player developed exclusively in the center from adolescence. The most important consequence, however, was practical: Jakubiszak himself has said that moving to middle was probably necessary for him to reach senior international volleyball.
Major Achievements
Selected National Team Honors
| Year | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | CEV U20 European Championship | Gold Medal |
| 2017 | FIVB U21 World Championship | Gold Medal |
| 2025 | Volleyball Nations League | Gold Medal |
| 2025 | FIVB World Championship | Bronze Medal |
| 2026 | Volleyball Nations League | Gold Medal |
| 2026 | CEV European Championship | Gold Medal |
The gap between Jakubiszak’s junior titles and his first senior medal is one of the defining features of his international career. He belonged to Poland’s successful 1997–98 generation as a young outside hitter, but his senior honors began only after the position change and his national-team debut in 2024.
Selected Club Honors
| Season / Year | Competition | Team | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Polish Cup | Trefl Gdańsk | Winner |
| 2017–18 | Polish Championship | Trefl Gdańsk | Bronze Medal |
These honors came during Jakubiszak’s original career as an outside hitter, before his move to Cuprum and conversion to middle blocker.
Selected Individual Awards
| Year | Competition | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | CEV European Championship | Best Middle Blocker |
The EuroVolley award was his first major senior international individual distinction and followed a tournament in which Poland retained the European championship.
Where Is Szymon Jakubiszak Playing Now?
As of the 2026–27 season, Szymon Jakubiszak plays for ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle in Poland’s top men’s division. He wears number 34 and is listed by the club at 208 cm, 97 kg with a 370 cm attack reach. He joined ZAKSA in 2025 after four seasons with Indykpol AZS Olsztyn and remained with the club for a second campaign.
He is also an active Poland international and continues to wear number 34 for the national team. His 2026 summer ended with two major titles — the VNL and European Championship — and the Best Middle Blocker award at EuroVolley. Those results followed the 2025 season in which he won his first senior VNL title and earned World Championship bronze.
The current phase of his career is therefore very different from the one that preceded his position change in 2020. Jakubiszak is now a regular middle blocker at both high domestic and international levels, with consecutive seasons of strong blocking production and an established place in Poland’s senior rotation.
Recent Performance Snapshot
| Competition | Matches / Sets | Total Points | Attack | Blocks | Aces | Notable Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 Polish League | 27 / 120 | — | — | 60 | — | 4th in league blocking ranking |
| 2026 VNL | 15 appearances | 95 | 76 | 18 | 1 | Poland won gold |
| 2026 VNL Final vs USA | 1 match | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | Poland won 3–2 |
The two competitions show the same underlying pattern: blocking remains a core part of Jakubiszak’s value, while his international attack efficiency has allowed him to contribute substantial scoring through the middle.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Szymon Jakubiszak born?
Szymon Jakubiszak was born on 13 February 1998 in Gdańsk, Poland.
How tall is Szymon Jakubiszak?
ZAKSA and the current Polish league registration list Jakubiszak at 208 cm, approximately 6 feet 10 inches. Volleyball World uses 210 cm for its international profile.
What position does Szymon Jakubiszak play?
Jakubiszak is a middle blocker. He began his professional career as an outside hitter and permanently changed positions during his 2020–21 season with Cuprum Lubin.
Which club does Szymon Jakubiszak play for?
He plays for ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle. Jakubiszak joined the club in 2025 and remains on its 2026–27 roster.
What number does Szymon Jakubiszak wear?
Jakubiszak wears number 34 for ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle and also uses number 34 with the Poland men’s national team.
When did Szymon Jakubiszak debut for Poland?
He made his senior Poland debut on 15 May 2024 in a friendly against Germany at Spodek in Katowice. He was 26 at the time.
What has Szymon Jakubiszak won with Poland?
His senior honors include VNL gold in 2025 and 2026, World Championship bronze in 2025 and European Championship gold in 2026. He had previously won the U20 European Championship in 2016 and U21 World Championship in 2017.
Was Szymon Jakubiszak always a middle blocker?
No. Jakubiszak developed and began his professional career as an outside hitter. He changed to middle blocker during the 2020–21 season at Cuprum Lubin after injuries left the team short at the position, and he later said the change was probably essential to his eventual national-team career.
References
- ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle — Szymon Jakubiszak official player profile
- ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle — Szymon Jakubiszak joins ZAKSA in 2025
- Polish league — Szymon Jakubiszak 2026–27 player registration
- Trefl Gdańsk — Szymon Jakubiszak development history and senior contract
- Cuprum Lubin — Szymon Jakubiszak’s switch from outside hitter to middle blocker
- Polska Liga Siatkówki — Jakubiszak finishes second in the 2023–24 blocking ranking and earns Poland call-up
- TVP Sport — Szymon Jakubiszak on changing positions and reaching the national team
- WP SportoweFakty — Szymon Jakubiszak’s senior Poland debut against Germany
- Volleyball World — Poland win the 2025 VNL final against Italy
- Volleyball World — Poland win World Championship bronze against Czechia in 2025
- Volleyball World — Szymon Jakubiszak VNL 2026 player statistics
- Volleyball World — Poland defend the VNL title against the United States in 2026
- CEV — Poland win EuroVolley 2026 and Szymon Jakubiszak earns Best Middle Blocker honors
- PlusLiga — 2025–26 blocking leaders with Szymon Jakubiszak fourth
- Volleybox — Szymon Jakubiszak player data and dominant hand
