VolleyBar112# : Tuesday 20, 2026

On this day…
volleyball birthdays, and amarcord, Manuel Coscione, 2026/27 season and Steven Marshall

Welcome to the 112th Episode of VolleyBar!

Kelly Murphy was born October 20, 1989 and turns 37 today.
The former American opposite and occasional setter was part of the United States team that won the 2014 FIVB Women’s World Championship in Italy. She also earned Olympic bronze at Rio 2016. She played college volleyball at the University of Florida and later had professional spells in Italy, Japan and China, including a season with Igor Gorgonzola Novara. 

Karla Beatriz Ortiz Oyola was born October 20, 1991 and turns 35 today.
A long-serving outside hitter for Peru, she represented her country at the 2010 Women’s World Championship in Japan and the 2011 Pan American Games. Her career has also taken her abroad, including a stint in Israel, where she was recognised among the league’s leading scorers and spikers. She remains a notable name in Peruvian women’s volleyball.

Saeid Marouf was born on October 20, 1985 and turns 41 today.
One of the most influential setters in Asian volleyball history, he captained Iran during its rise to international prominence, including its breakthrough at the 2014 World League, when Iran finished fourth, and its appearances at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. Known for his creativity, deceptive distribution and ability to control the tempo, he also played for Zenit Kazan, Fenerbahçe and clubs in China and Italy. His nickname, “the Magic Beard”, became familiar to volleyball fans worldwide. 

Irina Voronkova was born on October 20, 1995 and turns 31 today.
An accomplished outside hitter who has represented Russia at major international competitions, including the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She has played for leading Russian clubs, including Dinamo Kazan and Lokomotiv Kaliningrad, and also had a spell with Eczacıbaşı in Türkiye. She is the daughter of former Russian national-team coach Andrey Voronkov. 

She share her birthday date with Fabio Balaso, also born on October 20, 1995!
One of Italy’s leading liberos of his generation, he came through the Italian club system and established himself at Lube Civitanova, winning major domestic and international honours. He has also represented Italy at senior level, contributing to the team’s success in international competition.

Kota Yamamura was born on October 20, 1980 and turns 46 today.
The Japanese middle blocker competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympics and was a prominent player for the Suntory Sunbirds. His honours include a silver medal at the 2003 Summer Universiade and gold at the 2010 Asian Games.

Ana Paula Borgo was born on October 20, 1993, and would have turned 33 today.
The Brazilian opposite represented her country in the 2019 Volleyball Nations League and the 2015 Women’s U23 World Championship. She died on May 11, 2023, aged 29, after being diagnosed with stomach cancer.

On October 20, 2019 Allianz Milano defeated Vero Volley Monza 3–0 (25:22, 29:27, 25:21) in the first round of the SuperLega. Nimir Abdel-Aziz led Milano with 21 points and received the MVP award. The match was particularly frustrating for Monza, who were without setter Santiago Orduna (now a Milano player!) due to suspension. 

Back to the present, in Italy, Padova will play a match-up with Slovenia’s Super Cup winners ACH Volley Ljubljana as part of the preparations for the away game in Civitanova. Pallavolo Padova’s week includes a friendly match scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, at 4:30 p.m. at the Kioene Arena, which will be open to the public.
The match is part of the preparations leading up to the second round of the first half of the 2026/27 SuperLega season, with the game away to Lube scheduled for Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Eurosuole Forum.
Meanwhile, Cuneo player Manuel Coscione says he has contacted the relevant authorities after receiving threats directed at him and his family from a fake social media account. The Italian Volleyball Players’ Association has called for a zero-tolerance approach to cyberbullying and online intimidation.

In France, Round 2 is entirely scheduled today with following games: Cannes vs Sète; Narbonne vs Royan; Chaumont vs Paris; Montpellier vs Plessis-Robinson; Nice vs Poitiers; Saint-Nazaire vs Toulouse; Tours vs Tourcoing, while in Poland Indykpol AZS Olsztyn will welcome Norwid Częstochowa in advance of Round 2.

India’s Prime Volleyball League champions Calicut Heroes have strengthened their roster with the signing of Canadian outside hitter Steven Marshall. A two-time Olympian who helped Canada finish fifth at Rio 2016 and eighth at Tokyo 2020, Marshall brings extensive international and European club experience to the Kerala-based franchise.
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