Alan Nine
Thursday, August 13, 2026 brought a packed final pre-Euro news cycle on Volleyball.it, led by the Italian women's national team closing the Memorial Agata Mroz-Olszewska with another straight-sets win. Around that result, the day also produced a serious medical update on Loveth Omoruyi, a public clarification from Ferdinando De Giorgi on Italy's men's European Championship race, another positive outing for Italy B ahead of the Mediterranean Games, and two direct qualifications for the round of 16 at the European Beach Volleyball Championships.
The common thread was movement toward the next stage of the international summer. Italy's women completed their last tournament before the continental championship, the men's senior group stayed open in selection terms, and the beach program continued to advance in Stare Jablonki.
Women's European Championship
Italy finished the tournament in Koszalin by beating host nation Poland 3-0 with set scores of 25-16, 25-21, 25-20, securing the Memorial Agata Mroz-Olszewska. Volleyball.it reported that the team coached by Julio Velasco completed the three-match event with wins over France, Ukraine and Poland, dropping only one set across the whole tournament. In the final, Paola Egonu scored 15 points and Ekaterina Antropova added 13, with both attackers finishing at 52 percent in offense.
Volleyball.it underlined that, after the injury to Omoruyi, Velasco again used Antropova as an outside hitter alongside Gaia Giovannini, with Alessia Orro and Egonu in the diagonal, Anna Danesi and Sarah Fahr in the middle and Eleonora Fersino as libero. Italy controlled the opening set with aggressive serving and strong blocking, recovered from a Polish comeback in the second, and then protected its margin throughout the third to close the last test before the European Championship with another clear result.
The day also brought the most difficult update of Italy's week in Poland. Volleyball.it reported that medical examinations confirmed a major left-knee injury for Loveth Omoruyi: a total anterior cruciate ligament rupture, partial damage to the lateral collateral ligament, a medial meniscus injury and a bone trauma to the femoral condyle. The article added that surgery will be required and that recovery will take several months, ending Omoruyi's push for a place in Italy's European Championship squad. Megabox Vallefoglia president Ivano Angeli and FIPAV president Giuseppe Manfredi both publicly expressed support for the player.
Men's European Championship
On the men's side, Volleyball.it gave prominence to De Giorgi's clarification after the list circulated through CONI. The Italy coach stated that no final technical choices have yet been made for the 2026 European Championship and that all the players still working in camp remain in contention. The Azzurri will be in Verona from August 14 to 19 for training at the Pala Magis, continuing the approach to the continental event scheduled from September 10 to 26.
Volleyball.it stressed that 17 players were called for the Verona camp, including opposites Alessandro Bovolenta, Kamil Rychlicki and Yuri Romanò. The article treated that point as the clearest sign that the selection remains open, despite the earlier external communication. In practical terms, De Giorgi reset the picture and confirmed that the final roster race is still unresolved.
International
Another Italian result arrived in Costa Volpino, where Italy B beat Romania 3-0 in the first of two women's friendlies tied to preparation for the Mediterranean Games. The team coached by Carlo Parisi won 28-26, 25-18, 28-26, recovering from an early deficit in the first set and then handling the decisive phases better than the Romanians. Alice Alexandra Tanase and Josephine Obossa led Italy with 13 points each, followed by Linda Manfredini with 11 and Yasmina Akrari with 10.
Volleyball.it added that Italy finished with a 47 percent attacking rate against Romania's 41 percent, a 7-5 edge in blocks and a better break-point phase overall. The same teams were scheduled to meet again in Costa Volpino on the evening of August 13 for the second friendly of the training camp.
Beach Volley
Italy also had a strong day at the European Championships in Stare Jablonki. In the women's draw, Valentina Gottardi and Reka Orsi Toth beat Germany's Bock/Kunst 2-0, 21-19, 21-14, after also winning their opener against Lithuania. That second victory gave the Italians first place in Pool C and direct passage to the round of 16, avoiding the intermediate knockout round.
The men's pair of Samuele Cottafava and Gianluca Dal Corso matched that result by defeating home team Losiak/Bryl 2-0, 21-17, 21-18, to close Pool G with four sets won and none lost. Volleyball.it reported that the Italians will now face the winners of the match between Norway's Mol H./Berntsen and France's Rotar/Gauthier-Rat in the round of 16 on Friday, August 14. For the Italian beach program, it was a clean and efficient day: two pairs, two pool wins, and two direct places in the last 16.
