Alan Nine
Megabox Ond. Savio Vallefoglia made it three wins from three in the women's Serie A1, while the new SuperLega season is ready to begin with Perugia installed as the team to beat. Internationally, the 32-team line-up is complete for the 2027 Women's World Cup, with the draw scheduled for October 26.
Women's Serie A1
Vallefoglia came from a set down to beat Banca Valsabbina Millenium Brescia 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-17) at the PalaGeorge. The result gave Andrea Pistola's side the best start to a Serie A1 season in the club's history.
Brescia produced their strongest display since returning to the top flight and took their first set of the season, but Vallefoglia raised their level after the opener. Bici led the scoring with 20 points, while Russian middle blocker Elizaveta Kochurina contributed 16 and was named MVP. Mihaljevic scored 12 for Brescia and Nardelli added 11.
Kochurina was particularly influential in the third set, scoring seven points with one block and a 75 per cent attack rate. Brescia recovered from an early deficit to draw level at 18-18, but Vallefoglia held their nerve before taking firm control of the fourth.
SuperLega
The SuperLega Credem Banca season opens on Saturday, October 17, with Rana Verona hosting Cucine Lube Civitanova. Volleyball.it's pre-season assessment places Sir Susa Scai Perugia at the head of the field after the additions of Ferre Reggers, Mathis Henno and Giovanni Sanguinetti. Lube are rated as the leading challengers, with Trento and Verona in the next group.
Piacenza and Modena are identified as teams capable of upsetting that order, while Milano begin a new cycle under Guillermo Falasca. The return of the play-outs also increases the pressure at the other end of the table: the survival round will involve three or four teams, depending on the gap between ninth and 12th place.
The squad data show contrasting approaches. Padova have the league's youngest roster, with an average age of 22.6, ahead of Modena at 24.1. Verona have both the highest average age, at 28.1, and the tallest roster, averaging 199.7 centimetres. Milano have the lowest average height at 194.8 centimetres.
Modena Volley, meanwhile, presented their men's SuperLega team, women's Serie A3 side, staff and academy at the PalaPanini. The event also marked the club's 60th anniversary and included a tribute to the Panini family, who were presented with a commemorative shirt. The men's team host Itas Trentino on Sunday at 7pm.
International
The draw for the 2027 Women's World Cup, the competition formerly known as the World Championship, will take place on Monday, October 26 and will be streamed by Volleyball World on YouTube. The tournament will be staged in Canada and the United States from August 20 to September 5, 2027.
Defending champions Italy qualified alongside the two hosts. Fifteen places were awarded through continental qualifying, with three teams from each confederation, and the remaining 14 came through the world rankings. Russia are among the ranking qualifiers and will return to the competition.
Regional Volleyball
The Emilia-Romagna Serie C and Serie D championships are starting with 166 teams across 13 pools. The field comprises 66 men's and 100 women's teams. The regular season in men's and women's Serie C and men's Serie D runs until May 8, 2027, while the first phase of women's Serie D ends on April 10.
