Professional Experience

• Played 24 matches (24 starts) and 95 sets for the Grand Rapids Rise in the inaugural 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation season, recording 402 kills (.239), a team-high 275 digs, 30 blocks, 21 assists, and 12 aces… Led the League with 4.23 kills per set and was second with 67 points per set… Collected 14 double-doubles and had seven matches with 20 or more kills… Season-high 22 digs in a five-set win against Atlanta (2/18)… Announced her retirement from professional volleyball, ending her 17-year career with a runner-up finish in the Pro Volleyball Federation Championships
• Set two Rise single-match records with 30 points and 26 kills at Orlando on March 1, 2024, also had 26 kills against Atlanta on Feb. 26, 2024
• Named the 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation Opposite Hitter of the Year and made the All-League First Team… Selected as the Week 4 Pro Volleyball Federation Player of the Week
• Has played for 13 different club teams in Europe in six countries: Bulgaria, Italy, Turkey, Romania, Japan, and France
• Member of Bulgarian National Team
• Captured five medals for Bulgaria, including two gold
• Most recent gold medal came at the 2021 European Golden League with Bulgaria. Also won a gold medal for Bulgaria at the 2014 Yeltsin Cup and silver medals at the 2012 European Golden League and the 2010 European Golden League
• Collected a combined 17 medals at the club level
• In 2019-20, won the Bulgarian League with VC Maritza
• With the NEC Red Rockets in 2016-17, claimed the Japan V.League Division 1 championship
• Lifted the Romanian League title and the Romanian Cup with Tomis Constanta in 2010-11
• During rookie campaign in 2007-08, claimed a silver medal in the Bulgarian League with Slavia Sofia and a gold medal in the Bulgarian Cup
• Made pro debut in 2007 with Slavia Sofia in Bulgaria at 16 years old

Personal Information

• Married to Rise assistant coach Denislav Dimitrov
• Has a daughter
• Has one younger brother, Stefan Nikolov, who also plays professional volleyball with ASD Insieme per Pordenone in Italy
• Had only traveled through and hadn’t stayed in the United States before joining the Rise
• Started playing volleyball at 9 years old as a receiver and then setter before finally finding her role as an opposite hitter
• Considers herself a very organized person, near perfectionist
• Besides English, can also speak Bulgarian, Italian and Serbian
• Favorite food is sushi
• Has a Golden Retriever named Diego