Brilliant in the championship and incredible in Europe: the Volpi Rosse Menarini team wraps up a record-breaking Season
The Volpi Rosse Menarini wheelchair basketball team has wrapped up an extraordinary season. Under the guidance of coach Fabio Castellucci, they stood out both in Italy and Europe, achieving remarkable results on both fronts.
In the Serie A championship, the team performed admirably, stringing together a series of positive results before clinching victory in the 5th/6th place final against Team Special Bergamo Sport. This success in Italy’s top division is just one highlight for the Florence-based team.
European Triumph and Serie A Momentum
On March 8th and 9th, 2024, at the Pabellón Municipal Príncipe de Asturias in Murcia, the Volpi Rosse Menarini pulled off an impressive feat. Competing in the Eurocup 3 tournament for the second consecutive year, a prestigious event organized by the IWBF (International Wheelchair Basketball Federation), the Italian squad triumphed over the Polish team KSS Mustang Konin, the Greek team Panathinaikos, and the French team CAPSAAA Paris.
Overall, their performance was outstanding: securing second place with three victories and just one loss to the powerful hosts, CD Murcia BSR. The subsequent selection of playmakers Mattia Scandolaro and Lorenzo Bassoli in the tournament’s ‘top five’ added to the team’s excitement.
However, the foundations for this season were laid even before the Murcia tournament. The first part of the season saw them finish third in Serie A’s group B, followed by four consecutive victories that solidified their results and team cohesion. The experience in Spain provided the final push to conclude the championship on a high note.
Since their promotion to the first division from Serie B, the Volpi Rosse Menarini have shown exponential growth. They finished eighth in 2021/22, sixth in 2022/23, and fifth in 2023/24.
“It has been a very special year,” commented President Ivano Nuti. “We had to cope with a compressed schedule, national team commitments, and many organizational challenges. But it was also the year we built a new project together, focusing on younger athletes. Our choices paid off, as we not only delivered a formidable European performance but also achieved our best-ever placement in the top Italian championship.”
Future Goals
The consistent improvement of the Volpi Rosse is a clear sign that the club is ready to aim even higher.
Advancing in the championship, reaching the Coppa Italia, and establishing themselves in Europe are goals the team, supported by the Menarini Group, is keen to pursue, with hopes of continuous improvement each year.
However, competitive activity is not the ultimate goal but a means to a deeper journey where educational objectives remain central. “Playing wheelchair basketball promotes autonomy,” concludes President Ivano Nuti. “It’s a way to be at the forefront, an added value that only team sports can provide. From these small steps, we build new individuals.”