Yuasa Battery has pulled off a major market coup by securing the services of one of the most promising setters of the new generation of Italian volleyball, Filippo Mancini, born in 2004. One statistic, more than any other, speaks volumes about Mancini’s talent: one hundred. Namely, the incredible number of aces he scored in his last season alone, spanning the league, playoffs, and the Italian Cup, while playing for Brescia. One hundred winners in thirty-three matches, a record that certifies the young setter’s ability in one of the fundamentals that, perhaps more than any other, is becoming increasingly crucial in modern volleyball.
Filippo Mancini’s career began in Bellaria-Igea Marina, where he was born and raised and where he took his first steps in the youth ranks, alternating immediately with Ravenna, who soon set their sights on him. “I played in Serie C and Serie B at Ravenna, a club that essentially opened the doors to professional volleyball for me.” A linear path, which led him to Serie A2 at a very early age: “The first years in the category were very important for my growth, and I’m proud of the player I’ve become.” And in Grottazzolina, everyone remembers Mancini very well, a key player for Ravenna in the year Fedrizzi and his teammates were promoted to the top flight. Then came an experience every young setter dreams of: a season in the top flight with Monza, spending every training session alongside one of the best setter in the world. “Being Fernando Kreling’s assistant was extremely formative. I had the opportunity to observe a champion up close and learn a lot.”
