Modena Volley

Modena Volley

Full name	Valsa Group Modena
Short name	Modena Volley
Founded	1966
Ground	PalaPanini, Modena (Capacity: 4,968)
Chairman	Catia Pedrini
Manager	Alberto Giuliani
Captain	Bruno Rezende
League	Italian Volleyball League
Website	Club home page
Uniforms
Home Away

Modena Volley is a professional volleyball team based in Modena, Italy. It has played in the highest level of the Italian Volleyball League without interruption since 1968. It is the most successful Italian club, having won the national league twelve times and the national cup as well. The club is one of the most prominent and prestigious in Europe too, having won thirteen European trophies including four CEV Champions League.

Achievements

• CEV Champions League

  (x4) 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998

  (x4) 1987, 1988, 1989, 2003

  (x1) 1991

• CEV Cup

  (x4) 1980, 1986, 1995, 2023

  (x1) 2007

• CEV Challenge Cup

  (x5) 1983, 1984, 1985, 2004, 2008

  (x2) 2000, 2001

• CEV SuperCup

  (x1) 1995

  (x2) 1990, 1997

• Italian Championship

  (x12) 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2016

• Italian Cup

  (x12) 1979, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2015, 2016

• Italian SuperCup

  (x4) 1997, 2015, 2016, 2018

History

The club was founded in 1966 by Benito and Giuseppe Panini, owners of Edizioni Panini publishing house, and was named Gruppo Sportivo Panini (or simply G.S. Panini). The club, trained by Franco Anderlini, started from Serie C (the third level of the Italian League) and achieved the Serie A in 1968, taking only two seasons. Since then it has never been relegated to lower divisions.

It took only another season to achieve the first Italian League, in 1969/70: the victory was led by the Czechoslovak superstar Josef Musil. With Anderlini as head coach Modena won three championships, but in 1975/76 he resigned and was replaced by Polish Edward Skorek who acted as player-coach, leading Panini to another national title. By the end of the 1970s Modena clinched four Italian leagues, two Italian cups and its first European trophy, the 1979/80 CEV Cup Winners' Cup, with the Brazilian Bernard Rajzman and the Italian Francesco Dall'Olio as leaders of the team.

In the 1980s Modena had even greater successes: managed by Julio Velasco the team gained four consecutive Italian leagues and many national and international cups. In 1989 Velasco was appointed head of the Italian national team, leaving Modena where he was replaced by Vladimir Jankovic. Even without Velasco, Modena became European champion winning the 1989/90 CEV Champions League.

The team entered the 1990s with financial difficulties and its best players (Vullo, Bernardi, Bertoli, Cantagalli, Lucchetta) left Modena moving to better funded clubs. The Panini era was coming to an end and in 1993 the club changed ownership for the first time, being taken over by Giovanni Vandelli, a ceramic industrialist who renamed the club as Daytona Volley. Vandelli signed Daniele Bagnoli as head coach and brought back Bertoli, Cantagalli and Vullo. Modena soon regained its competitiveness and in five seasons it won twelve trophies, including two Italian Leagues and two CEV Champions Leagues. The 1996/97 season could be regarded as one of the most successful in the club's long history, having achieved the Italian League, the Italian Cup and the Champions League in the same year. The line-up of this legendary season was structured by the setter Fabio Vullo, the opposite hitter Juan Cuminetti, the middle-blockers Bas van de Goor and Andrea Giani, the outside hitters Marco Bracci and Luca Cantagalli: one of the best European teams ever.

1996 was also the year of Giuseppe Panini's death, co-founder and for many years the highly respected president of the club. The municipal administration of Modena entitled the local arena, home of the volleyball team, to his memory as Palazzo dello Sport Giuseppe Panini, commonly referred to as PalaPanini by supporters. In 1997/98, trained by Francesco Dall'Olio, Modena won his third consecutive CEV Champions League. After an unsuccessful comeback of Daniele Bagnoli, Vandelli's club won its last Italian league in 2001/02 with Angelo Lorenzetti as coach.

Vandelli's last trophy was the 2003/04 CEV Cup (now Challenge Cup), then in 2005 he sold the club to a consortium composed of Antonio Barone (a coal industry businessman and former volleyball player, who won two Italian leagues with the Panini team^[1]), Catia Pedrini (Barone's wife) and Giuliano Grani (a merchandising businessman). The name was changed to Pallavolo Modena and Barone became the new president.

During 2008 Barone e Pedrini left the club leaving it in the hands of Grani and new partner Pietro Peia (a long-standing manager of the club). In 2012 even Grani took a step back, leaving Peia as the sole owner. Under the Barone-Grani-Peia ownership Modena won only one trophy with the 2007/08 CEV Challenge Cup, despite great investments to sign notable players like Ángel Dennis, Murilo Endres and Matthew Anderson, and many successive famous coaches like Julio Velasco, Andrea Giani, Silvano Prandi, Daniele Bagnoli (at his third experience at Modena) and Angelo Lorenzetti.

In May 2013 a new consortium composed of Gino Gibertini (dealer of oil products), Antonio Panini (son of Giuseppe Panini), Catia Pedrini, Dino Piacentini (building contractor) and Peter Zehentleitner (CEO of Trenkwalder Italia) acquired the club. Both Gibertini and Piacentini were Panini's players in the seventies. The club's name was changed to Modena Volley Punto Zero with Gibertini as president and Lorenzetti being confirmed as head coach. The coexistence between many partners proved to be difficult and after few months Gibertini, Panini and Zehentleitner left the consortium. Catia Pedrini was then appointed president of the club with Piacentini in the role of vice-president.

For the 2014–15 season the club's name has been modified to Modena Volley with a new logo. On 11 January 2015, the team won its first title in 7 years (the last victory was the CEV Challenge Cup in 2008), by defeating Trentino Volley^[2] in the final of Italian Volleyball Cup.

For the 2015–2016 season Modena decides to strengthen the team by adding the Brazilian middle-blocker Lucas Saatkamp, and replacing Uroš Kovačević with his Serbian compatriot Miloš Nikić. Since October 2015, the club sets a major sponsorship deal with DHL. During the season, the club enlarged his honours with the victories of Italian Supercup in October and the Italian Volleyball Cup in February, by defeating Trentino Volley in both matches. Above all, the main success of the season has been the Italian national title after 14 years, by defeating SIR Safety Perugia in the final by 3–0.

For the 2016–2017 season, there are many changes: the main sponsor DHL and coach Angelo Lorenzetti leave the club, moreover the Brazilians "magic duo" Bruno Rezende and Lucas Saatkamp return to their home country. Nevertheless, Modena reinforces the roster by hiring two of the best middle blockers in the world: Maxwell Holt and Kevin Le Roux. The expert Argentinian setter Santiago Orduna takes place of Bruninho and the Serbian spiker Nemanja Petric is promoted as team Captain. Since September 2016, the new main sponsor of the club is the Italian asset management company Azimut Holding.

Former names

1968–1989	Panini Modena
1989–1991	Philips Modena
1991–1992	Carimonte Modena
1992–1993	Panini Modena
1993–1994	Daytona Modena
1994–1995	Daytona Las Modena
1995–1996	Las Daytona Modena
1996–1997	Las Daytona Modena; Las Valtur Modena[a]
1997–2000	Casa Modena Unibon
2000–2002	Casa Modena Salumi
2002–2003	Kerakoll Modena; Meta Daytona Modena[b]
2003–2004	Kerakoll Modena
2004–2005	Daytona Modena
2005–2008	Cimone Modena
2008–2010	Trenkwalder Modena
2010–2014	Casa Modena
2014–2015	Modena Volley; Parmareggio Modena[c]
2015–2016	DHL Modena
2016–2018	Azimut Modena
2018–2019	Azimut Leo Shoes Modena
2019–2021	Leo Shoes Modena
2021–2022	Leo Shoes PerkinElmer Modena
2022–Present	Valsa Group Modena

Team

Team roster – season 2022/2023

No.	Name	Date of birth	Position
1	Bruno Rezende (C)	(1986-07-02) July 2, 1986 (age 37)	setter
3	Lorenzo Pope	(2001-12-06) December 6, 2001 (age 22)	outside hitter
4	Nicolas Maréchal	(1987-03-04) March 4, 1987 (age 37)	outside hitter
5	Riccardo Gollini	(2000-07-05) July 5, 2000 (age 23)	libero
6	Giovanni Sanguinetti	(2000-04-14) April 14, 2000 (age 24)	middle blocker
7	Dragan Stanković	(1985-10-18) October 18, 1985 (age 38)	middle blocker
9	Earvin N'Gapeth	(1991-02-12) February 12, 1991 (age 33)	outside hitter
10	Lorenzo Sala	(2002-01-01) January 1, 2002 (age 22)	opposite
11	Tobias Krick	(1998-10-22) October 22, 1998 (age 25)	middle blocker
12	Adis Lagumdzija	(1999-03-29) March 29, 1999 (age 25)	opposite
15	Elia Bossi	(1994-08-15) August 15, 1994 (age 29)	middle blocker
16	Nicola Salsi	(1997-09-13) September 13, 1997 (age 26)	setter
21	Salvatore Rossini	(1986-07-13) July 13, 1986 (age 37)	libero
24	Andrea Malvasi	(2005-06-23) June 23, 2005 (age 18)	outside hitter
90	Tommaso Rinaldi	(2001-11-09) November 9, 2001 (age 22)	outside hitter
Head coach: Alberto Giuliani Assistant: Sebastian Carotti

Team roster – season 2021/2022
No.	Name	Date of birth	Position
1	Bruno Rezende (C)	(1986-07-02) July 2, 1986 (age 37)	setter
3	Maarten van Garderen	(1990-01-24) January 24, 1990 (age 34)	outside hitter
5	Riccardo Gollini	(2000-07-05) July 5, 2000 (age 23)	libero
6	Giovanni Sanguinetti	(2000-04-14) April 14, 2000 (age 24)	middle blocker
7	Dragan Stanković	(1985-10-18) October 18, 1985 (age 38)	middle blocker
8	Swan N'Gapeth	(1992-01-09) January 9, 1992 (age 32)	outside hitter
9	Earvin N'Gapeth	(1991-02-12) February 12, 1991 (age 33)	outside hitter
10	Lorenzo Sala	(2002-01-01) January 1, 2002 (age 22)	opposite
14	Nimir Abdel-Aziz	(1992-02-05) February 5, 1992 (age 32)	opposite
16	Nicola Salsi	(1997-09-13) September 13, 1997 (age 26)	setter
17	Yoandy Leal	(1988-08-31) August 31, 1988 (age 35)	outside hitter
18	Daniele Mazzone	(1992-06-04) June 4, 1992 (age 32)	middle blocker
21	Salvatore Rossini	(1986-07-13) July 13, 1986 (age 37)	libero
Head coach: Andrea Giani

Team roster – season 2020/2021
Leo Shoes Modena
No.	Name	Date of birth	Position
1	Tommaso Rinaldi	(2001-11-09)November 9, 2001	outside hitter
2	Luis Estrada Mazorra	(2000-03-10)March 10, 2000	outside hitter
3	Nicola Iannelli	(1999-03-03)March 3, 1999	libero
4	Nemanja Petric	(1987-07-28)July 28, 1987	outside hitter
5	Paolo Porro	(2001-10-27)October 27, 2001	setter
6	Giovanni Sanguinetti	(2000-04-14)April 14, 2000	middle blocker
7	Dragan Stanković	(1985-10-18)October 18, 1985	middle blocker
10	Jenia Grebennikov	(1990-08-13)August 13, 1990	libero
11	Micah Christenson (C)	(1993-05-08)May 8, 1993	setter
13	Moritz Karlitzek	(1996-08-12)August 12, 1996	outside hitter
14	Luca Vettori	(1991-04-26)April 26, 1991	opposite
15	Elia Bossi	(1994-08-15)August 15, 1994	middle blocker
17	Paul Buchegger	(1996-03-04)March 4, 1996	opposite
18	Daniele Mazzone	(1992-06-04)June 4, 1992	middle blocker
19	Daniele Lavia	(1999-11-04)November 4, 1999	outside hitter
Head coach: Andrea Giani Assistant: Sebastian Carotti

Team roster – season 2019/2020
Leo Shoes Modena
No.	Name	Date of birth	Position
1	Matthew Anderson	(1987-04-18)April 18, 1987	outside hitter
2	Luis Estrada Mazorra	(2000-03-10)March 10, 2000	outside hitter
3	Nicola Iannelli	(1999-03-03)March 3, 1999	libero
5	Andrea Truocchio	(2000-02-10)February 10, 2000	middle blocker
6	Giovanni Sanguinetti	(2000-04-14)April 14, 2000	middle blocker
7	Salvatore Rossini	(1986-07-13)July 13, 1986	libero
8	Giulio Pinali	(1997-04-02)April 2, 1997	outside hitter
9	Ivan Zaytsev	(1988-10-02)October 2, 1988	opposite
10	Bartosz Bednorz	(1994-07-25)July 25, 1994	outside hitter
11	Micah Christenson	(1993-05-08)May 8, 1993	setter
12	Maxwell Holt	(1987-03-12)March 12, 1987	middle blocker
15	Elia Bossi	(1994-08-15)August 15, 1994	middle blocker
16	Nicola Salsi	(1997-09-13)September 13, 1997	setter
18	Daniele Mazzone	(1992-06-04)June 4, 1992	middle blocker
20	Matteo Lusetti	(2002-08-06)August 6, 2002	setter
23	Tommaso Rinaldi	(2001-11-09)November 9, 2001	outside hitter
90	Denis Kaliberda	(1990-06-24)June 24, 1990	outside hitter
Head coach: Andrea Giani Assistant: Luca Cantagalli

Team roster – season 2018/2019
Azimut Leo Shoes Modena
No.	Name	Date of birth	Position
1	Bartosz Bednorz	(1994-07-25)July 25, 1994	outside hitter
2	Kevin Tillie	(1990-11-02)November 2, 1990	outside hitter
3	Lorenzo Benvenuti	(1994-07-08)July 8, 1994	libero
4	Marco Pierotti	(1996-06-19)June 19, 1996	outside hitter
5	Luuc Van der Ent	(1997-07-27)July 27, 1997	middle blocker
7	Salvatore Rossini	(1986-07-13)July 13, 1986	libero
8	Giulio Pinali	(1997-04-02)April 2, 1997	outside hitter
9	Ivan Zaytsev	(1988-10-02)October 2, 1988	opposite
10	Jennings Franciskovic	(1995-05-10)May 10, 1995	setter
11	Micah Christenson	(1993-05-08)May 8, 1993	setter
12	Maxwell Holt	(1987-03-12)March 12, 1987	middle blocker
13	Simone Anzani	(1992-02-24)February 24, 1992	middle blocker
14	Andrea Truocchio	(2000-02-10)February 10, 2000	middle blocker
16	Matteo Lusetti	(2002-08-06)August 6, 2002	setter
17	Tine Urnaut	(1988-09-03)September 3, 1988	outside hitter
18	Daniele Mazzone	(1992-06-04)June 4, 1992	middle blocker
24	Denys Kaliberda	(1990-06-24)June 24, 1990	outside hitter
25	Wessel Keemink	(1993-05-29)May 29, 1993	setter
Head coach: Julio Velasco Assistant: Luca Cantagalli

Team roster – season 2017/2018
Azimut Modena
No.	Name	Date of birth	Position
1	Bruno Rezende	(1986-07-02)July 2, 1986	setter
2	Jennings Franciskovic	(1995-05-10)May 10, 1995	setter
3	Andrea Argenta	(1996-06-01)June 1, 1996	outside hitter
4	Maarten Van Garderen	(1990-01-24)January 24, 1990	outside hitter
6	Federico Tosi	(1991-09-18)September 18, 1991	libero
7	Salvatore Rossini	(1986-07-13)July 13, 1986	libero
8	Swan N'Gapeth	(1992-01-09)January 9, 1992	outside hitter
9	Earvin N'Gapeth	(1991-02-12)February 12, 1991	outside hitter
10	Giulio Sabbi	(1989-08-10)August 10, 1989	opposite
11	Elia Bossi	(1994-08-15)August 15, 1994	middle blocker
12	Maxwell Holt	(1987-03-12)March 12, 1987	middle blocker
14	Alberto Marra	(1998-11-18)November 18, 1998	middle blocker
15	Giulio Pinali	(1997-04-02)April 2, 1997	outside hitter
16	Chono Penchev	(1994-12-11)December 11, 1994	setter
17	Tine Urnaut	(1988-09-03)September 3, 1988	outside hitter
18	Daniele Mazzone	(1992-06-04)June 4, 1992	middle blocker
Head coach: Radostin Stoytchev Assistant: Dario Simoni

Team roster – season 2016/2017
Azimut Modena
No.	Name	Date of birth	Position
4	Nemanja Petrić (C)	(1987-07-28)July 28, 1987	outside hitter
5	Santiago Orduna	(1983-08-31)August 31, 1983	setter
6	Jacopo Massari	(1988-06-02)June 2, 1988	outside hitter
7	Salvatore Rossini	(1986-07-13)July 13, 1986	libero
8	Swan N'Gapeth	(1992-01-09)January 9, 1992	outside hitter
9	Earvin N'Gapeth	(1991-02-12)February 12, 1991	outside hitter
10	Kevin Le Roux	(1989-05-11)May 11, 1989	middle blocker
11	Matteo Piano	(1990-10-24)October 24, 1990	middle blocker
12	Maxwell Holt	(1987-03-12)March 12, 1987	middle blocker
13	Dragan Travica	(1986-08-28)August 28, 1986	setter
14	Samuel Onwelo	(1997-04-18)April 18, 1997	opposite
16	Nicola Salsi	(1997-09-13)September 13, 1997	setter
17	Luca Vettori	(1991-04-26)April 26, 1991	opposite
Head coach: Lorenzo Tubertini

Team roster – season 2015/2016
DHL Modena
No.	Name	Date of birth	Position
1	Bruno Rezende (C)	(1986-07-02)July 2, 1986	setter
2	Fabio Donadio	(1988-04-30)April 30, 1988	libero
4	Nemanja Petrić	(1987-07-28)July 28, 1987	outside hitter
5	Pietro Soli	(1994-09-15)September 15, 1994	setter
6	Alberto Casadei	(1984-02-06)February 6, 1984	opposite
7	Salvatore Rossini	(1986-07-13)July 13, 1986	libero
8	Luca Sartoretti	(1995-11-20)November 20, 1995	outside hitter
9	Earvin N'Gapeth	(1991-02-12)February 12, 1991	outside hitter
10	Miloš Nikić	(1986-03-31)March 31, 1986	outside hitter
11	Matteo Piano	(1990-10-24)October 24, 1990	middle blocker
12	Elia Bossi	(1994-08-15)August 15, 1994	middle blocker
14	Samuel Onwelo	(1997-04-18)April 18, 1997	opposite
15	Thiago Sens	(1985-07-02)July 2, 1985	outside hitter
16	Lucas Saatkamp	(1986-03-06)March 6, 1986	middle blocker
17	Luca Vettori	(1991-04-26)April 26, 1991	opposite
18	Nicholas Sighinolfi	(1994-08-11)August 11, 1994	middle blocker
Head coach: Angelo Lorenzetti Assistant: Lorenzo Tubertini

Notable players

The stars indicate Volleyball Hall of Fame inductees.

Presidents

1966–1993	Giuseppe Panini
1993–2005	Giovanni Vandelli
2005–2007	Antonio Barone
2007–2012	Giuliano Grani
2012–2013	Pietro Peia
2013	Gino Gibertini
2013–2022	Catia Pedrini
2022–Present	Giulia Gabana

Head coaches

Name	Nationality	Years
Franco Anderlini		1966–1975
Edward Skorek		1975–1978
Gian Paolo Guidetti		1978–1983
Andrea Nannini		1983–1985
Julio Velasco		1985–1989
Vladimir Janković		1989–1990
Massimo Barbolini		1990–1992
Bernardo Rezende		1992–1993
Daniele Bagnoli		1993–1997[a]
Franco Bertoli		1996–1997[a]
Francesco Dall'Olio		1997–1998
Bruno Bagnoli		1998–2000[b]
Franco Bertoli		2000[b]
Daniele Bagnoli		2000–2001
Angelo Lorenzetti		2001–2004[c]
Maurizio Menarini		2004[c]
Julio Velasco		2004–2006
Bruno Bagnoli		2006–2007
Andrea Giani		2007–2008[d]
Emanuele Zanini		2008–2009[d]
Silvano Prandi		2009–2011[e]
Daniele Bagnoli		2011–2012[e]
Angelo Lorenzetti		2012–2016
Roberto Piazza		2016–2017[f]
Lorenzo Tubertini		2017[f]
Radostin Stoychev		2017–2018
Julio Velasco		2018–2019
Andrea Giani		2019–2023
Francesco Petrella[3]		2023–Present

Kit manufacturer

The table below shows the history of kit providers for the Modena team.

Period	Kit provider
1985–1989	Best Company
1989–2003	Asics
2003–2005	A-Line
2005–2017	Macron
2017–2021	Erreà
2021–current	Ninesquared

References

External links

• Official website
• Team profile at Volleybox.net