Rising women's volleyball players 2026/27: the young Italians to watch in A1

The names to follow in women's Serie A1 2026/27 are Linda Manfredini, Stella Nervini, Merit Adigwe, Josephine Obossa, Bintu Diop, Matilde Munarini and Loveth Omoruyi. They are all Italians who already start, or are close to starting, in A1 clubs, and nearly all of them have been named as possible Velasco call-ups for the 2026 Nations League.

Here you will find who they are, where they play and what they have shown to earn the attention.

Linda Manfredini, middle blocker

Born in 2006, a starter at Bergamo. She is already an Under 21 world champion and is named as one of the middle blockers the national team can count on in the next cycle. In her position, starting in A1 at twenty does not happen by accident.

Stella Nervini, outside hitter

Named as one of the revelations of her season with Chieri. For an outside hitter, growth is measured by whether you can carry passing and attacking in the same match: that is where you see who stays and who does not.

Merit Adigwe, opposite

Born in 2006, at Conegliano, with youth national team experience. Growing up in that locker room means training every day against the highest level in the league: it is the best school there is, and also the one where minutes cost the most.

Josephine Obossa, opposite

She closed a season as the second best attacker in the league. For an opposite that is the stat that counts most, and it puts her straight into the national team conversation.

Bintu Diop, opposite

Standing out at Cuneo. Together with Obossa and Adigwe she is part of a group of Italian opposites the game has not had for a few years.

Matilde Munarini, middle blocker

Born in 2004, at Conegliano, where she has been described as a luxury backup. She has already had a taste of the senior national team. For a middle blocker, block timing is built over years: being in there already at 22 is a huge advantage.

Loveth Omoruyi, outside hitter

A leading player in a high-level season at Vallefoglia, and in the group of outside hitters Velasco is keeping an eye on.

The others to keep an eye on

• Chidera Eze (setter, Bergamo) — a starter and improving steadily
• Adhu Malual (opposite, Monviso) — named as one of the team's strong points
• Nicole Piomboni (outside hitter, Macerata) — getting more and more court time
• Ludovica Sismondi (middle blocker, 2007, 191 cm) — one of the youngest of all, a bet with big potential
• Elena Rapello (middle blocker, 2008, Monviso) — the most interesting prospect of her age group
• Anna Bardaro (libero, 2005) — Under 21 world champion
• Aurora Micheletti (middle blocker, 2005, Bergamo) — serious physical potential
• Princess Atamah (middle blocker, 2005, Cuneo) — a powerful, athletic player

Note: the transfer market moves right up to the start of the season, so some destinations may change from what is written here.

One thing that jumps out as you scroll the list

Look at the positions: middle blockers and opposites dominate the list. They are the two roles where physical impact counts most — blocking and attacking from position two, both decided by how high you get and how fast you get there.

And there is another constant: almost all of these girls come from federation pathways or structured youth systems, where physical preparation is not an add-on but part of the plan from year one. Programmed gym work, measured plyometrics, monitored loads, regular testing.

That is exactly what is missing for anyone playing at a club with no strength coach, and the gap shows at eighteen, not at fourteen.

And you, where are you at?

The first number a strength coach takes on a young player is the jump. You can take it yourself, for free, in two minutes.

With the JHP jump test you upload a two-second video of yourself jumping and get your height in centimetres, calculated from flight time. No app needed and the video never leaves your phone.

If you play middle blocker or opposite, do two: one standing, which is your block jump, and one with an approach, which is your attack jump. They are two different numbers and you need both.

➡️ Measure your jump, free

How the physical side gets built

The JHP membership gives you 13 programmes with day-by-day plans, a video for every exercise and WhatsApp support, for €99/year:

• Jump Higher Program — 10 weeks of bodyweight jump work, if you have no gym (€60)
• JHP Gym Edition — 16 weeks in the gym on maximal strength and power (€60)
• Volley In-Season Workout — 16 weeks across pre-season and season (€90)
• Knee Power — prevention, because anyone who jumps a lot pays for it in the knees (€40)
• JHP Team Performance — ready-made plans for teams and coaches (€50)

You might also like: who Paola Egonu is and how high volleyball players jump.