VolleyBar103# : Thursday October 8, 2026

On this day…
Amarcord and volleyball birthdays, Coupe de France, Bergamo, 2026 Oji Cup, Trento, Champions League and Bryan Bagunas

Welcome to the 103th Episode of VolleyBar!

On October 8, 1994, Italy became men’s World Champions for the second consecutive time, defeating the Netherlands 3–1 in the final of the FIVB World Championship at the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus, Greece.
The Netherlands won the second set, but Italy dominated the decisive stages and closed the match with an astonishing 15–1 fourth set. The final score was 15:10, 11:15, 15:11, 15:1.
It was the second World Championship title for the generation coached by Julio Velasco, following the triumph in Brazil in 1990. Italy would go on to complete an extraordinary hat-trick four years later in Japan.
The 1994 team included legends like Lorenzo Bernardi, Andrea Gardini, Andrea Giani, Luca Cantagalli, Paolo Tofoli, Ferdinando De Giorgi, Samuele Papi, Pasquale Gravina, Marco Bracci and Andrea Zorzi. Bernardi was named tournament MVP, while Dutch star Ron Zwerver received the award for best spiker.
The Netherlands had reached the final after an incredible five-set semifinal against the United States the previous day, winning 15:5, 16:14, 10:15, 15:8, 15:11. Italy had beaten Cuba 3–1 in the other semifinal.

The United States completed the podium on the same day, beating Cuba 3–1 in the bronze-medal match.
The Americans had lost their semifinal to the Netherlands the previous day, but recovered to claim their second consecutive World Championship medal after their gold medal in 1986.
Brazil finished fifth after beating hosts Greece 3–0, while Russia took seventh place with a straight-set victory over South Korea.

On October 8, 2016, Spain qualified for the final round of the 2017 Men’s European Championship after surviving one of the most dramatic qualification matches of the campaign.
Greece defeated Spain 3–2 in Kozani, winning 20:25, 25:22, 25:14, 26:28, 17:15 in front of 3,300 spectators. Spain nevertheless advanced because of its 3–0 victory in the first leg.
It was Spain’s first appearance in the men’s EuroVolley final round since 2009.

Another good Swiss entry comes from October 8, 2018.
Lausanne UC defeated Lindaren Volley Amriswil 3–0 to win the Swiss Supercup and open the 2018/19 season with a trophy.
The result was particularly impressive because Lausanne controlled the match from the beginning, winning 25:23, 25:14 and 25:23. Norwegian outside hitter Jonas Kvalen was named MVP.

One year ago today, October 8, 2025, the inaugural Special Olympics Unified Volleyball World Cup concluded in Katowice, Poland.
The event brought together 16 international teams at the Spodek arena, with athletes with and without intellectual disabilities playing together in Unified teams.
Slovakia won the men’s title, while the United Arab Emirates won the women’s competition. Ukraine and Kenya took silver and bronze in the women’s tournament, while Saudi Arabia and Poland completed the men’s podium. The FIVB was a key global partner of the event.
This is a particularly good anniversary for an international volleyball column because it highlights a side of the sport that rarely receives the same attention as the elite national teams and club competitions.

The major volleyball birthday of October 8 is Andrea Anastasi, born in Poggio Rusco, Italy, on October 8, 1960.
He was part of the great Italian generation as a player, winning the 1989 European Championship and the 1990 World Championship, before becoming one of the most successful Italian coaches of his generation.
As a coach, he won European titles with Italy in 1999 and 2003 and with Spain in 2007, an Olympic bronze with Italy in Sydney in 2000, and the 2012 World League with Poland.
He turns 66 today.

October 8 is also the birthday of Julia Ituma, born in Milan in 2004.
She would have turned 22 today. The Italian opposite was one of the brightest prospects of her generation and became European U19 champion with Italy in 2022, when she was also named MVP of the tournament.

Back to the present, eleven first-round matches have been drawn for the 2026/27 French men’s Cup, with the holders facing Chaumont and five top-flight teams waiting in the round of 16.

In Italy, the women’s league is already running
One of the more interesting local stories is the return of top-level women’s volleyball to Bergamo.
Bergamo’s new A1 campaign will bring the club back to the ChorusLife Arena, with Milano visiting on October 21, followed by Scandicci and Conegliano in November.
That gives the Lombardy volleyball map another important A1 venue just as the new season gets going.

The new Sir Susa Scai Perugia opened its campaign with a victory.
In the first match of the 2026 Oji Cup World Challenge Series, played on October 7, they defeated the Suntory Sunbirds 3-1 (25:22, 19:25, 25:21, 25:16).
The second meeting is scheduled for today at 8:30 p.m.
Before the match, president Gino Sirci presented a plaque to Wassim Ben Tara, thanking the former opposite for his three seasons in Perugia. He finished with 16 points, while on the other side Ferre Reggers scored 20, including two aces and three blocks.
Serving proved decisive, with the home team recording 15 aces compared with four for Suntory. Oleh Plotnytskyi was named MVP after producing five aces among his 12 points. Federico Crosato also reached double digit with 13 points, while Agustin Loser scored 11 and Mathis Henno added 12.

Itas Trentino defeated 3-0 Austrian side Union Raiffeisen Waldviertel to conquer the fourth edition of Trofeo Città di Schio in front of 2.200 volleyball fans at PalaRomare. The winners dominated the game with 73% in attack, 11 winning blocks and 7 points from Alessandro Michieletto through 75% in attack in two sets played.

Italian world champion Yuri Romano is beginning his new adventure in Poland with PGE Projekt Warszawa.
After his experience abroad, he is now part of one of the clubs expected to challenge at the top of the Polish league. His arrival is one of the more interesting Italian-player stories in the new Polish season.

Premier Energy, one of Romania’s leading electricity and natural gas suppliers, has announced a partnership with the CEV, thus becoming an official partner of the governing body responsible for Europe’s major Volleyball competitions, including the elite CEV Champions League Volley.

Filipino volleyball star Bryan Bagunas returns to Japan to rejoin Osaka Bluteon following his national team duties with Alas Pilipinas Men.
The hard-hitting outside spiker is gearing up for another campaign in Japan’s 2026–27 SV.League Men’s season, continuing his professional volleyball career with the Japanese club.

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