The curtain is also about to be raised on the Blue Group of the A3 Credem Banca Series, which starts this weekend. Eleven teams will compete to try to reach a place in the Play Offs or, once the Regular Season is over, to fight to maintain the category. Eleven protagonist teams, presented below.
EnergyTime Campobasso
Molise’s return to the Serie A stages under the men’s net after the experiences of Volleyball Agnone and Fenice Isernia. After an exciting season with a lot of “trebles” – Regular Season, Play Off and Italian Cup – the EnergyTime Spike Devils Campobasso are entering the Serie A3 Credem Banca with the determination of those who want to maintain the category and try to obtain top results relief. Four players remained in the squad from the last adventure: the Italian-Venezuelan opposite Ivan Zanettin, the striker of the group, the setter from Vasto Antonio Del Fra, the central defender from Agnono Stefano Diana and the Samnite winger – who is also captain of the group – Gianmarco Rescignano. Alongside them, the company has included elements that all represent market-focused objectives. In the control room, the experience of Lorenzo Piazza from Pescara, an experienced connoisseur of top-flight tournaments (in particular the A2), at the center – from Ortona – the central defender from the Marche region Tommaso Fabi. Another place three from the Marche region is Michele Orazi, winner of the last A3 Play Off with Macerata. Also from the Marche – from Fano – comes the lateral son of art Pietro Margutti. In the four-seater department also the first foreigner in the history of the ‘little devils’, the Polish winger, former Sabaudia, Jakub Urbanowicz.
JV Gioia Del Colle
There is also Joy Volley Gioia del Colle at the starting line of the Serie A3 Credem Banca 2024/25 championship. After having taken over the sporting title from Pallavolo Franco Tigano Palmi, the company of president Gianni D’Elia has set up a roster of certain value for the third national category, entrusting it to the coach Sandro Passaro who, during the season, will be assisted on the bench by assistant coach Francesco Racaniello. The red and white management has focused, in the control room, on the creativity and charisma of Peppe Longo and on the potential of Riccardo Martinelli while in place 4 they have ensured the sporting performances of experienced and highly reliable spikers such as Sebastiano Milan, Romolo Mariano , Piervito Disabato and the talented Donato Attolico. To man the second red and white line, the very confirmed Danilo Rinaldi was joined by Andrea Di Carlo who, in the last two years, defended the colors of Asd Volley Leverano and Rinascita Lagonegro. Lots of quality also in the center and in position 2: in the shadow of the Norman-Swabian castle have arrived, in fact, the centre-backs Enrico Cester (career winner of two league titles, one Champions League and two Del Monte® Italian Cups), Sandi Persoglia, Fabrizio Garofolo and, finally, the very young Simone Romanelli. The choices for the opposing team fell on Edvinas Vaškelis, winner of the “Andrej Kuznetsov” award from the Serie A Volleyball League as the best scorer in the A3 Credem Banca 2023/24 series, and on Antongiulio Alberga, one of the protagonists of CUS Bari’s success at the National University Championships 2024.
Aurispa Links per la Vita Lecce
Sono diverse le conferme in casa Aurispa Links per la Vita Lecce per la stagione 2024/25, a partire dalla panchina, dove siederà ancora coach Tonino Cavalera. Per poi passare al roster che, contrariamente a quanto accadeva in passato, ha mantenuto lo zoccolo duro con la riconferma di alcuni atleti rappresentativi, come il capitano Tiziano Mazzone, l’altro schiacciatore di posto quattro Alessio Ferrini, il libero Paolo Cappio e il centrale Michele Deserio. Fa da contraltare la rivoluzione della diagonale, con l’ingaggio dell’opposto Gaetano Penna e del palleggiatore Lorenzo Giani. La batteria di centrali è stata rimpinguata con gli arrivi di Gabriele Maletto, Alessio Omaggi e Alessandro Coppa. A completare la squadra, gli schiacciatori Dario Iannaccone, Jacopo Cimmino e Raffaele Colaci, il palleggiatore Enrico D’Alba e il libero Andrea Bleve. La società non si pone obiettivi: il primo traguardo è la salvezza, ma la prospettiva è quella di ripetere quanto fatto nelle stagioni precedenti, con il raggiungimento della zona Play Off. Il tutto sotto l’entusiasmante spinta agonistica del pubblico, sempre presente nelle partite casalinghe, e dell’immancabile tifo organizzato dei Leones.
Lagonegro Rinascita
Rinascita. In name and in fact. Every year Lagonegro starts again, with momentum and renewed enthusiasm. Second consecutive season in Serie A3 Credem Banca: we start again from the certainties of a few months ago, from third place in the Regular Season of the Blue Group and the Play Off Quarter Finals. A positive balance, a starting point for new and strengthened objectives. Certainties also reside in the almost totally confirmed technical staff, starting with the expert coach Pino Lorizio and his faithful deputy Giuseppe Pisano. Athletic trainers Vincenzo Ghizzoni and Michele Sassano and physiotherapist Nico Di Pierro remain in the saddle. The only novelty is the very young scout-man Antonello Germino. The 2024/25 roster looks very refreshed at the starting line of the new championship: three confirmations, the new captain Nicola Fortunato, a true Lagonegrese, and the spikers Andrea Fioretti and Stefano Armenante (fifth consecutive season in the red and white jersey). The young Federico Bonacchi (last year in the SuperLega in Taranto) and Renato Ricco have arrived in the control room. In the centre, many centimeters and quality with the additions of Gabriele Tognoni, coming from Ortona, Leonardo Focosi (fresh winner of the Promotion Play Offs in A2 with the Fano shirt) and Andrea Pegoraro (last year in Prata di Pordenone). The club then defined the spiker department with the green talent of Giulio Parrini (born in 2005) and the welcome return of Rocco Panciocco (already in the red and white in the 2022/23 season). The Lazio player Gianmarco Vindex will be the second libero, while Filippo Franza (first experience in Serie A) and the “bomber” Diego Cantagalli will be the two opposites. From this year, the product of the youth sector Vincenzo Simone, setter born in 2008, has been promoted to the first team.
Avimecc Modica
Avimecc Volley Modica is preparing to play for the sixth consecutive championship in Serie A3 Credem Banca, after one salvation, two placings in the Play Offs and another quiet salvation and a placing in the Play Offs. The objective now is to overcome the first round of the Play Offs to improve the results obtained in recent years. The county boys on the bench present themselves with the reconfirmed Enzo Distefano, and Manuel Benassi in the role of deputy. Simone Di Lorenzo will be the scoutman. The roster sees the senators confirmed, Chillemi, still captain, Nastasi, vice, Raso, Putini and Capelli and Buzzi. From the transfer market come the strong spiker Padura Diaz with considerable experience in higher categories, Barretta, Cipolloni Save, Pappalardo and Cavasin, ready to leave their mark in Serie A3. The expert Matani is also interesting, completing the newcomers. Also joining the first team are the two very young Gianmarco Italia and Davide Tomasi. After the great work carried out by the management in order to create the perfect environment to achieve the desired goals, it is time to give the field its say and wait for its ruling.
Domotek Reggio Calabria
Giovane, entusiasta e con voglia di far bene. La Domotek Reggio Calabria, dopo aver ottenuto sul campo la promozione in Serie A3, si presenta ai nastri di partenza della stagione 2024/25 con grandi aspettative e tante novità. Innanzitutto, gli amaranto giocheranno nel rinnovato impianto del Palacalafiore, scenario che, negli anni passati, è stato casa di competizioni europee ed internazionali del volley ed oggi rinnovato ed all’avanguardia. Confermatissimo in panchina Antonio Polimeni. Sarà lui a guidare un roster che, rispetto alla passata e vincente stagione, ha cambiato davvero tanto. Rimane in casa Domotek Domenico Laganà, capitano coraggioso, che ritorna in Serie A3 per far bene. Idem Picardo, Lopetrone ed il giovane Giuliani. Il nuovo libero è un atleta che il mister conosce molto bene: Saverio De Santis, nativo di Locri con tanta esperienza tra Cisterna, Castellana, Cinquefrondi e non solo. I nuovi centrali sono Alessandro Stufano ed il giovane Edoardo Murabito. Il primo arriva dall’esperienza a Belluno, il giovane di Ostia invece dall’A3 di Motta di Livenza. Lorenzo Esposito, ex Cuneo, è il nuovo palleggiatore accanto al reggino Marco Pugliatti, pallavolista con trascorsi in Serie A Credem Banca ad Acicastello e Motta. Sottorete, la batteria di schiacciatori è formata da Kevin Lamp, atleta di origine estone alla prima esperienza in Italia, in arrivo da Chicago, l’italo-argentino Marco Soncini (ex Lecce), Enrico Lazzaretto (punto di forza assoluto in arrivo da Macerata) ed il giovane Francesco Galipò da Messina. Completa il roster il veneto Marco Spagnol, nuovo opposto proveniente da Modica.
Gaia Energy Naples
Play, Fight, Dream. With this motto Gaia Energy Napoli presents itself at the starting line of the third consecutive A3 Credem series championship. Sergio Calabrese will lead the Neapolitan team for the sixth consecutive season. A roster strongly renewed and rejuvenated with the presence of new athletes, Lugli, Sportelli, Michele Starace, Gianotti, Lanciani, Dotti and Volpe will join the confirmed Leone, Ardito, Simone Starace, Saccone and Martino for a squad that will fight to reach the qualification to the Play Offs. While the season ticket campaign continues, Gaia Energy Napoli is increasingly committed to the campaign to reduce the use of plastic inside the arena; therefore, sport and environmental sustainability characterize the Neapolitan team once again at the forefront. After the official presentation in grand style at the Royal Continental hotel in Naples, with DG Matano the star of the evening
Sieco Service Ortona
Sieco Service Ortona starts again. Fresh from a bitter relegation to Serie A3, the team is ready to give its all to redeem the previous year by working for the future with the aim of bringing enthusiasm back to the city. This will be the first year without the unforgettable president Tommaso Lanci and it is precisely to him that his successor Andrea Lanci, captain of the team for many years, wants to dedicate the next season. There is also news regarding the technical guidance with the arrival of Coach Francesco Denora Caporusso called to replace Nunzio Lanci, another historic figure of the Abruzzo team. Captained by volleyball legend Leonel Marshall, the team is a mix of experience and promising young players.
Vidya Viridex Sabaudia
Starting from the end of last season and working towards constant growth, involving the Sabaudia public more and more. These are the expectations of Vidya Viridex Sabaudia, the Pontine club that wants to continue to amaze after the remarkable second half of the season of the last championship in which, under the leadership of the replaced (and confirmed) coach Nello Mosca, Sabaudia came close to the Play Offs after a light and dark start to the season. Even in the championship the club wants to confirm itself as an uncomfortable team for everyone to face and after having achieved the goal of salvation also try to improve what it did last season. The second round of the previous championship must be the starting point from which to plan a new adventure that can excite the public even more and involve the territory in an increasingly important way. The club has confirmed coach Nello Mosca as head of the team given how much good he has shown he can do by taking over the race. Sports director Paolo Torre has set up a competitive lineup: with the confirmations of Samuel Onwuelo, Andrea Rondoni and Mario Catinelli, the hard core protagonist of the gripping season finale of last championship, there were the new entries of: Francisco Ruiz, Lorenzo Menichini, Alessandro Serangeli, Lorenzo Tomassini, Sebastiano Stamegna, Nicola and Riccardo Mazzon. The two title sponsors, Vidya and Viridex, are two local businesses. Vidya is a Priverno-based company leader in the marketing of glass containers and accessories such as caps and capsules. Viridex is a Cisterna di Latina company that operates in the hardware, tool, light construction, plumbing, electricity, gardening and agriculture sectors.
Romeo Sorrento
Sorrento’s fourth year in Serie A3 starts with even stronger ambitions, starting with the partnership with the new title sponsor: Romeo Gestioni. Many new features in the roster that aims to improve on last season’s eighth place, but on the bench there is the certainty that bears the name of coach Nicola Esposito. At his side Luca Buzzo and Gabriele Gargiulo. In the control room there is all the class and audacity of Calogero Tulone, fresh from the Play Off final played in the White Group among the ranks of San Donà. Behind him is the young man born in 2005 Alessandro Becchio: the whole process in the youth sector of Parella Torino up to playing the Under 19 Nationals, before arriving on the coast for a new experience in the third Italian category. In place 2, directly from the SuperLega, Andrea Baldi, born in 2000: strength and explosiveness to the nth degree when the going gets tough. Together with him, a prophet in his homeland, the result of the collaboration between the green and white club and Volley Meta: Michele Ciampa, who makes an important upgrade to acquire more and more awareness and personality. In the center a name without any need for introduction: Stefano Patriarca. Leadership and charisma, just under 3,000 points in 20 Serie A seasons seasoned with the satisfaction of wearing the national team shirt, are the best business card of the “gentle giant” in the service of coach Esposito. Together with him Francesco Fortes, former Sarroch and former teammate of Tulone in Modica and Lecce.
