The new season has officially begun for Millennium Brescia, and with it, the preparation of the young Bulgarian volleyball player Kalina Veneva for her debut season in the Italian Serie A1. The club kicked off its pre-season training with an official gathering at the PalaGeorge hall, where the players and coaching staff were introduced, and the management also announced the schedule of friendly matches until the start of the championship.
The 17-year-old Veneva is one of the new additions to the elite newcomer, who earned promotion to Serie A1 last season. The Bulgarian has already started working with her new teammates, while opposites Yuliya Kavalenka and Andrea Mihalevic are absent due to commitments with their national teams and will join after the European Championship.
Millennium Brescia retained the core of the squad that brought them promotion to the elite. Captain Beatrice Parrocchiale, named MVP in the final series, remained with the team, as did Rossella Olivotto, Dalila Modestino, Giorgia Amoruso, Katerina Shilkovski, and Yuliya Kavalenka. They were joined by setter Valentina Bartolucci, Rachele Nardelli, Paola Ruggieri, Andjelka Novosel, Bozica Markovic, Andrea Mihalevic, and Kalina Veneva.

Head coach Matteo Bibbo Solforati emphasized that the main goal at the beginning of the preparation is a gradual return to form and avoiding injuries.
"We need to regain our game rhythm and be ready when the national team players join the squad. We know how much effort our promotion cost us, and that is an additional motivation to do everything possible to stay in Serie A1. The club and our fans deserve to be part of the elite," commented Solforati.
The club has also announced its pre-season training schedule. The first friendly match is on August 28 against Itas Trentino in Montichiari, after which Brescia will host Futura Busto Arsizio on September 4. On September 12, the team will visit Granda Volley Cuneo in Alessandria.
In the last two weeks before the start of the championship, Millennium Brescia will participate in two strong pre-season tournaments. On September 18 and 19, the team will play in the traditional "Mimo Fusco" Trophy in Busto Arsizio against hosts UYBA, VBC Casalmaggiore, and Bergamo. A week later, on September 26 and 27, Kalina Veneva's team will also take part in the "City of Biella" Trophy, where they will compete against Chieri, UYBA Busto Arsizio, and French Mulhouse.
The two tournaments will be the last serious test for Millennium Brescia before the club's return to the Italian elite.

photos:milleniumbs.com