EuroLeague Women All-Time Leaders: Blocks

MUNICH (Germany) - In the last of our series highlighting the modern history EuroLeague Women all-time leaders, we go high and check out those who have blocked more shots than anyone else in the competition.

Our chart of 'Swat Queens' comes off the back of having already revealed the all-time leading scorers, all-time leading rebounders, all-time assists leaders and all-time steals leaders. 

10. Irina OSIPOVA - 139 blocks

CENTER

Birth Date: June 25, 1981
Nationality: RUS
Height: 1.96m (6ft 5in)

EuroLeague Women Clubs: UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS); Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje (RUS); Dynamo Kursk (RUS); Good Angels Kosice (SVK)

Games Played:  166
Statistics: 4.9 PTS, 4.7 REB, 0.8 BLK

A five-time EuroLeague Women champion, Osipova won her first title in 2003 with UMMC Ekaterinburg, which was also the maiden success for the Russian juggernaut itself. She then won an amazing four in a row for the storied Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje. Also an international star with the Russia national team, she made a phenomenal eight appearances at the FIBA Women's EuroBasket, scooping three titles. A three-time Olympian, she stood on the third podium step twice and featured in three FIBA Women's World Championships - grabbing a pair of silver medals.

9. Sandrine GRUDA - 145 blocks

CENTER

Birth Date: June 25, 1987
Nationality: FRA
Height: 1.93m (6ft 4in)

EuroLeague Women Clubs: US Valenciennes Olympic (FRA); UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS); Fenerbahce (TUR); Famila Schio (ITA)

Games Played:  226
Statistics: 13.1 PTS, 6.2 REB, 1.2 AST, 0.6 BLK

It's yet another all-time chart appearance for the French ace, who was also featured in the scoring and rebounding leaderboards.  Here she is again making impressive waves in yet another category. An elite level player for more than a decade, Gruda is still capable of climbing even higher if she continues to step out in the competition, as well as shining on the international stage with France, with the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2021 and even Paris 2024 both on home soil and within  her grasp.

8. Ann Wauters - 149 blocks

CENTER

Birth Date: October 12, 1980
Nationality: BEL
Height: 1.95m (6ft 5in)

EuroLeague Women Clubs: US Valenciennes Olympic; (FRA) VBM-SGAU (RUS), BC Volgaburmash / CSKA Moscow (RUS); UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS); Ros Casares (ESP); Galatasaray (TUR); Castors Braine (BEL); Yakin Dogu Universitesi (TUR)

Games Played: 271
Statistics: 13.9 PTS, 6.9 REB, 1.5 AST, 0.5 BLK

There's simply no keeping this legend down as Wauters again shows why she's one of the all-time greats. Having already topped not only the all-time scoring chart, but having also taken the top podium spot in all-time rebounding too, here she is again. It remains to be seen if she will step out in the tournament again, but we could yet still see her in two major tournaments in a national team vest at the FIBA Women's EuroBasket next year, as well as the Tokyo Olympics.

7. Elodie GODIN - 152 blocks

CENTER

Birth Date: July 5, 1985
Nationality: FRA
Height: 1.92m (6ft 3in)

EuroLeague Women Clubs: Bourges Basket (FRA); US Valenciennes Olympic (FRA); ZVVZ USK Praha (CZE); Cras Basket Taranto (ITA); Famila Schio (ITA); BLMA (FRA)

Games Played: 214
Statistics: 7.3 PTS, 6.6 REB, 1.6 AST, 0.7 BLK

You  can see the incredible value of a player like Godin in the fact that she not only finds herself as one of the players who has blocked the most shots in the history of this competition, but also that she claimed an esteemed top four spot in the all-time rebounding list. The French center, who featured for Bourges Basket recently is a renowned defensive power and also gained success in her national team jersey with the FIBA Women's EuroBasket title in 2009 and an Olympic silver medal in 2012.

6. Emmeline NDONGUE - 153 blocks

CENTER

Birth Date: April 25, 1983
Nationality: FRA
Height: 1.92m (6ft 4in)

EuroLeague Women Clubs: Bourges Basket (FRA)

Games Played: 160
Statistics: 7.0 PTS, 5.2 REB, 1.0 BLK

Another huge favorite with the Bourges fans, Ndongue only represented the French side during her standout 12 seasons competing in EuroLeague Women. A defensive anchor anytime she was on the floor, the center was a super warrior who also shone for France on the international stage. Similar to her compatriot Godin, she also won the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2009 title and appeared in London at the 2012 games. In fact, she played in five editions of the FIBA Women's EuroBasket and also racked up multiple outings at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cups too.

5.  Petra KULICHOVA - 170 blocks

CENTER

Birth Date: September 13, 1984
Nationality: CZE
Height: 1.93m (6ft 6in)

EuroLeague Women Clubs: BK Loko Trutnov (CZE); Gambrinus Brno (CZE); ZVVZ USK Praha (CZE); Good Angels Kosice (SVK); Galatasaray (TUR)

Games Played:  146
Statistics: 7.0 PTS, 5.9 REB, 1.2 BLK

Still playing in her homeland this past season at Hradec Kralove, the center recorded an impressive top five spot in the all-time shot blocking list. Stepping out with several clubs in the tournament, she used her towering height to good effect and the evidence of this is compelling in terms of her having played a massive 36 minutes in the 2006 EuroLeague Women Final when she helped Gambrinus take the title. She was also a key performer for the Czech Republic as well, becoming a three-time Olympian, appearing at six Final Rounds of the FIBA Women's EuroBasket and as a member of the Czech team that famously reached the FIBA Women's World Championship Final in 2010 as hosts.

4. Brittney GRINER - 171 blocks

CENTER

Birth Date: October 18, 1990
Nationality: USA
Height: 2.03m (6ft 8in)

EuroLeague Women Clubs: UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS)

Games Played: 85
Statistics: 15.3 PTS, 6.7 REB, 2.0 BLK

The imposing figure of Griner is a familiar site for women's basketball fans worldwide, since the American is a global star of the sport, as well as having crossed over into the mainstream media. She is now a three-time EuroLeague Women champion with UMMC, while also grabbing herself an WNBA ring too. On the international stage, the center has three gold medals after making her major tournament debut in 2014 at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and then helping USA to defend their title four years later in Tenerife. She also knows what it is like to stand on the top step of the Olympic podium, with her great play in the paint and ability to block shots instrumental to her success with both club and country.

3. Margo DYDEK- 258 blocks

CENTER

Birth Date: April 28, 1974
Nationality: POL
Height: 2.13m (7ft 0in)

EuroLeague Women Clubs: Pool Getafe (ESP); Lotos VBW Clima (POL); UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS); Ros Casares (ESP)

Games Played: 167
Statistics: 13.4 PTS, 8.9 REB,1.5 AST, 1.5 BLK

Celebrated by those who played with her, against her, those who coached her and of course the fans that idolized her, the FIBA Hall of Famer follows up her placing as one of the all-time leading rebounders by also taking a place in this chart. Of course this will be no surprise to those who are aware of her exploits Stateside when leading the WNBA in shot blocking for 8 years. Sorely missed after her passing aged only 37-years-old, the legacy of Dydek lives on in those who try to follow in her footsteps.

2. Maria STEPANOVA - 281 blocks

CENTER

Birth Date: February 23, 1979
Nationality: RUS
Height: 2.02m (6ft 8in)

EuroLeague Women Clubs: Force Majeure (RUS); CSKA Moscow (RUS); Gambrinus Brno (CZE); Mizo Pecsi VSK (HUN); VBM-SGAU (RUS); BC Volgaburmash (RUS); UMMC Ekaterinburg (RUS)

Games Played: 226
Statistics: 11.2 PTS, 8.0 REB, 1.0 AST, 1.2 BLK

Only Ann Wauters can match the accomplishment of Stepanova in making the all-time top 10 for scoring, rebounds and blocks. It's with those kind of outputs that the Russian ace was a two-time champion and is a legend of the women's game in general - not just in Russia where she collected plenty of medals in a golden era for her country. 

1. Anastasia VERAMEYENKA - 293 blocks

CENTER/POWER FORWARD

Birth Date: July 10, 1987
Nationality: BLR
Height: 1.92m (6ft 4in)

EuroLeague Women Clubs: Nadezhda (RUS); Fenerbahce (TUR)

Games Played: 147
Statistics: 9.1 PTS, 6.5 REB, 1.9 AST, 2.0 BLK

She may appear outwardly unassuming when she is on the floor and it's true that the Belarusian is not as animated as most of her peers, but all you need to know is that Verameyenka is a stone-cold defensive assassin and is the number one EuroLeague Women shot-blocker in modern history. Of course those who are familiar with her game and especially those fans of Nadezhda and Fenerbahce, will know that she also does the business offensively too and has a tendency to use her impressive shooting range to deliver some daggers in crunch time. For Belarus she is one half of their famous 'twin towers' when alongside Yelena Leuchanka she helped her country take a first ever FIBA Women's EuroBasket medal in 2007, as well as a maiden Olympic appearance in 2008. 

FIBA