In 2000, the team were renamed Lukoil Academic as a sponsorship deal was signed with Russian oil giant Lukoil, and quickly established themselves as dominant in the Bulgarian Championship.
No ano 2000, o equipo trocou o seu nome polo de Lukoil Academic, como acordo de patrocinio asinado coa compañía petroleira rusa Lukoil, estabelecéndose rapidamente como o equipo dominante do campionato búlgaro.