Talented generation to showcase Italian volleyball at VNL

Italy's Technical Commissioner Davide Mazzanti has released the names of 28 players that are on the host country's long list for the 2021 FIVB Women's Vollyball Nations League which begins next month in the Adriatic resort of Rimini, including several from a younger generation that he hopes will gain valuable experience in this competition.

The list also includes well-established stars, such as opposite Paola Egonu, libero Monica De Gennaro, middle blocker Cristina Chirichella and setter Ofelia Malinov, as well as others that that have not had extensive international exposure but do have Olympic experience from Rio 2016, such as setter Alessia Orro and middle blocker Anna Danesi.

Guiding the team in the VNL as head coach will be Giulio Bregoli, who led Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri 76 this season in advancing up to the quarterfinals of the Italian Women's League Playoffs and also made the Final Four of the Italian Cup.

"A young team will go to the VNL, with the girls who have shown the best performance in the last two years," said Mazzanti. "In my opinion it is a talented group and very willing to work, as demonstrated during the first days of the [camp they are currently in]. From the beginning of the camp I immediately noticed the players' desire to do well."

"Certainly the team will have to gain experience because they are lacking at international level, except for some girls who have already played in the VNL with me," he added. "For several of them it will be a matter of taking to the court for the first time in such an important tournament."

Mazzanti himself will remain with the players that do not make the final cut together with the group that will prepare for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The full list of players selected to represent Italy in the 2021 VNL:

Indre Sorokaite (Toyota AB Queenseis), Francesca Bosio (Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri), Alessia Gennari (Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio), Sara Bonifacio (Igor Gorgonzola Novara), Ofelia Malinov (Savino del Bene Scandicci), Monica De Gennaro (Imoco Volley Conegliano), Alessia Orro (Saugella Monza), Caterina Bosetti (Igor Gorgonzola Novara), Cristina Chirichella (Igor Gorgonzola Novara), Anna Danesi (Saugella Monza), Anastasia Guerra (Il Bisonte Florence), Sarah Fahr (Imoco Volley Conegliano), Elena Pietrini (Savino del Bene Scandicci), Sylvia Nwakalor (Il Bisonte Florence), Paola Egonu (Imoco Volley Conegliano), Camilla Mingardi (Unet E-Work Busto Arsizio), Marina Lubian (Savino del Bene Scandicci), Rachele Morello (Olimpia Teodora Ravenna), Chiara De Bortoli (Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri), Alessia Mazzaro (Reale Mutua Fenera Chieri), Rebecca Piva (Olimpia Teodora Ravenna), Ilaria Battistoni (Igor Gorgonzola Novara), Eleonora Furlan (Delta Despar Trentino), Giulia Melli (Delta Despar Trentino), Sofia D'Odorico (Delta Despar Trentino), Federica Squarcini (Saugella Monza), Eleonora Fersino (Zanetti Bergamo), Loveth Omoruyi (Imoco Volley Conegliano).

The final selection will enter the Rimini 'bubble' on May 21, four days ahead of the start of the tournament. A replacement of up to six players (from within the long list) may be made on June 9.