The accolades for Italian volleyball in 2025 continue in full force, with two of its brightest figures – Paola Egonu and Ferdinando De Giorgi – receiving new prestigious awards within the Gazzetta Sports Awards 2025.
Egonu – "Athlete of the Year"
Paola Egonu was named "Athlete of the Year" in the traditional awards ofLa Gazzetta dello Sport, awarded through reader voting. The recognition comes after an exceptional two-year cycle, during which she:
led Italy to its first historic Olympic gold medal in women's volleyball (Paris 2024);
won a second consecutive title in the Volleyball Nations League under the leadership of Julio Velasco;
triumphed with her teammates with the world title in Bangkok (2025) – Italy's first since 2002.
For the star born in 1998, this is further proof of her status as a global sports icon, and the Italian Volleyball Federation emphasizes its pride in this representation at the highest level.
De Giorgi – "Coach of the Year"
The coach of the men's national team, Ferdinando De Giorgi, will also be awarded at the ceremony on December 11 at the Auditorium Fiera Milano. The coach earned the recognition after leading Italy to a second consecutive world title – this time at the World Championship in Manila 2025.
The achievement gained historical significance:
De Giorgi is the only person in the history of volleyball – men and women – with a total of five world titles, won as a player and coach.
The Gazzetta Sports Awards 2025 are held at a particularly important moment for Milan. Fiera Milano, host of the ceremony, is an official partner of the Milan–Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games and will host some of the Olympic events.
Thus, Italian volleyball enters the Olympic year with double recognition for two of its brightest leaders – a symbol of the ongoing rise and strength of national programs for both women and men.
