French club Chaumont VB 52 have made an unexpected change to their roster just days before the start of the new season, with American libero Kyle Dagostino and the French club agreeing not to begin the campaign together.
Chaumont announced the decision today, explaining that it came “in light of recent circumstances relating to his personal situation”, without providing further details, and the club wished Dagostino all the best for the next chapter of his career.
The departure comes after Chaumont had chosen Dagostino to strengthen their reception and defensive line for the new season. The 31-year-old American arrived in France with an impressive international résumé, having played for ACH Volley Ljubljana, Raision Loimu in Finland, Nice and Narbonne in France, before establishing himself at Berlin Recycling Volleys.
His spell in Berlin was particularly successful. Dagostino won two German championships, two German Cups and two Super Cups with the club, while also remaining part of the United States national-team programme. He was a member of the USA squad that won the 2022 Volleyball Nations League.
Chaumont have moved quickly to fill the vacancy, bringing in Finnish international Niklas Breilin from Belgian champions Greenyard Maaseik.
Born in Salo on 8 September 1999, he is 26 years old and stands 1.78 metres tall. He developed through the Finnish system with Rikala Volley, Kuortane and Tiikerit before playing for Savo Volley. He then moved abroad, joining Caruur Volley Gent in Belgium in 2021 and later spending two seasons with Germany’s Helios Grizzlys Giesen.
Breilin returned to Belgium with Maaseik in 2025 and enjoyed the most successful season of his career.
In May, he helped Maaseik defeat Roeselare 3-1 in the championship finals, bringing the Belgian title back to the club after a seven-year wait. It was the first league championship of Breilin’s career, following a Finnish league silver medal in 2021 and a German bronze in 2024.
The Finnish libero has also been a regular member of the national team for several years. CEV records list him in Finland’s senior programme since 2017, including appearances at EuroVolley 2019, 2021, 2023 and now 2026.
His arrival also creates an immediate connection inside the Chaumont squad. Breilin will join compatriot Veikka Lindqvist, with the two currently together with Finland at EuroVolley 2026.
There will be no long wait for Breilin to face his former club, either. Maaseik are scheduled to travel to Chaumont for the International Trophy at Palestra on 3 and 4 October, giving the Finnish libero the unusual prospect of meeting his former teammates only weeks after leaving Belgium.
For Chaumont, the change comes at an unexpected moment, but the club has acted quickly: Dagostino leaves the project before the first official ball of the season, while Breilin arrives with a Belgian championship medal, extensive international experience and a clear understanding of the European game.
The reasons behind Dagostino’s departure remain private, exactly as stated by Chaumont, while the club can now turn the page with a new libero at the heart of its defensive system.
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