Coach Marco Bonitta is back with the Italian national team
Rome,
Italy, May 5, 2014 – With the start of the 2014 international volleyball season
coming close, Italy’s coach Marco Bonitta has called up his team to begin
preparations for this year’s events.
As host
of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship scheduled to take place from
September 23 to October 12, Italy is keen to put in a good performance to make
the home crowd proud.
The
Italians will meet in San Bonifacio for a training session followed by friendly
matches against the Czech Republic in San Bonifacio on May 16 and the following
day in Montichiari.
But the
first order of the day for the women’s national team will be the annual FIVB World
Grand Prix. Finishing in third place at last year’s edition, Italy will feature
in Group 1 (Pools A to I) this year. The group includes defending champions,
London 2012 Olympic winners and world No. 1 Brazil, USA, Japan, China, Russia,
Serbia, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Korea, Turkey and Thailand. Italy are
scheduled to play their first match against Japan on August 8 in Hong Kong.
Coach Marco Bonitta is back with the Italian national team, after leaving in
2006. The Italian has called up thirteen athletes, including Taismary Aguero -
returning to the team after five years - Sara Bonifacio and Paola Egonu, two
young athletes from Club Italia.
The following players will gather in San Bonifacio:
- Cristina Chirichella and Noemi Signorile
(Openjobmetis Ornavasso)
- Valentina Diouf, Raphaela Folie, Sara Loda and Enrica Merlo (Foppapedretti
Bergamo)
- Giulia Pascucci (Corpora Gricignano)
- Sara Bonifacio and Paola
Egonu (Club Italia) - they will arrive on May 12
- Valentina Fiorin and Monica De Gennaro (Imoco
Conegliano)
- Taismary Aguero and Valentina Zago (Pomì Casalmaggiore)- Aguero will
arrive on May 6.
This year’s FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix, which
will be staged from July 25 to August 24, will feature 28 teams for the first
time in its history, split into three groups, which will culminate in their own
Finals. Groups 2 (Pools J to O) and 3 (Pools P to S) will start their
Preliminary Round action on July 25 followed by Group 1 (Pools A to I) on
August 1.