Italy: Jan Zimmermann returns to Monza to cover for injured Andrew Rowan

Jan Zimmermann is back in Monza.
The German setter will return to Vero Volley to cover for Andrew Rowan, who is expected to remain sidelined until the end of November after suffering a fractured right thumb while on duty with the United States national team.

For Zimmermann, it is a familiar destination rather than a completely new chapter.
The 33-year-old German international already wore the Vero Volley jersey during the 2022/23 season and returned to the club for the 2025/26 campaign. His experience of the environment, therefore, should allow him to step into the group without the adjustment period normally required of a new arrival.

The move comes after Rowan suffered the injury during the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship. The American setter underwent surgery in the United States on September 22, with the procedure performed by hand specialist Dr Mark Halikis to stabilise the fracture. He is due to undergo a further assessment before travelling to Italy, where he will continue his rehabilitation with the club.
Vero Volley currently expects him to return to full activity towards the end of November.
That timeline left Monza with a clear need for additional depth at setter, particularly with the SuperLega season approaching.
The club had already indicated that it was considering a move on the market following Rowan’s injury; the solution has now come in the form of a player who knows both the club and the Italian league.

Zimmermann brings considerable international and club experience to the position.
A long-time member of the German national team, he began his professional career in the Bundesliga before playing for Friedrichshafen, Rüsselsheim, Stade Poitevin in France and Berlin, among others. His first spell in Monza came in 2022-23, before he returned to the club ahead of the following season.
The timing is particularly useful for Monza, who have already begun their preparations for the new SuperLega campaign. The team recently won the Trofeo CMP Città di Bassano del Grappa after defeating Padova in the pre-season, while further tests have formed part of the build-up to the opening of the championship.

For now, Zimmermann’s task is straightforward: provide stability while Rowan works his way back. The American’s absence is expected to last for several weeks, but Monza have opted for continuity rather than starting from scratch, bringing back a setter who already knows the club, the league and many of the demands that come with wearing the Vero Volley jersey.
Rowan’s recovery will remain the longer-term priority.
In the meantime, Zimmermann gives Monza an experienced hand at the heart of the team as the new SuperLega season approaches.

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