Pitt volleyball adds libero Marija Popovic as transfer

Pitt volleyball coach Dan Fisher added a talented transfer on Monday, as East Tennessee State libero Marija “Popche” Popovic is set to join the team ahead of the 2020 season. Popovic has won Southern Conference Libero of the Year honors twice in her college career and won first-team All-SoCon honors in 2018 and 2019.

”Popche will certainly make Pitt volleyball stronger,” Fisher said in a statement. “Anytime you can bring in a player with her resume there’s reason to be excited. She has been one of the best players in the SoCon for the last three years and she is excited to finish her career at Pitt. She spent last summer playing for the Serbian national team and understands the game at the highest level. Popche will make Pitt volleyball better.”

The native of Belgrade, Serbia, led East Tennessee State to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances in 2017 and 2018 and played a key role in her team reaching the SoCon championship three years in a row. Popovic and the Buccaneers won the Southern Conference title in 2017.

During her time at East Tennessee State, Popovic recorded 1,605 digs in 331 sets for an average of 4.85 digs per set in her three-year career. In 2018, Popovic posted a career-high 5.18 digs per set as a sophomore, which ranks as the third-best season in East Tennessee State history in terms of digs per set.