MVP Michieletto leads Trentino ladies to historic A1 promotion

In the very first season the Itas Trentino Trento club compete in women’s volleyball their team achieved a historic promotion to Italy’s top division. While the highly decorated men’s team are in the middle of another championship series, the Trentino ladies won the Serie A2 playoffs and earned the right to play in Lega Pallavolo Serie A1 Femminile next season. Along with Serie A2 champions Roma Volley Club Rome, they will replace the relegated Bartoccini-Fortinfissi Perugia and CBF Balducci HR Macerata in the 2023-2024 Serie A1 line-up.

• Watch Lega Pallavolo Serie A2 replays on VBTV.

Itas Trentino, who finished the regular season as runners-up on 72 points and a 23-5 win-loss record, went unbeaten through the playoffs on a four-game winning streak to snatch the second ticket to the top flight.

In the semifinals, they mastered a four-set home victory over CDA Talmassons and followed up with a five-set win away to advance to the deciding best-of-three final series against Valsabbina Millenium Brescia.

In the first match on Saturday, Trentino produced a 3-1 (21-25, 25-17, 25-16, 25-18) victory at home, at the BLM Group Arena, with a 19-point match high (including two aces and four blocks) and 78% good reception from 25-year-old outside hitter Francesca Michielleto, the older sister of Trentino men’s team star Alessandro. In the second game on Wednesday, the girls from Trento repeated their success, delivering a 3-1 (25-19, 25-17, 19-25, 25-17) away win over Valsabbina Millenium in Montichiari to close the final playoff with a ticket to Serie A1 in their pockets. Francesca Michielleto was once again one of the team leaders, sharing the top of Trentino’s scorers chart with fellow outside Chiara Mason on 14 points each and earning the Most Valuable Player award.

It is the second time in a row Michieletto wins promotion to Serie A1. Last season she did so as a player of CBF Balducci HR Macerata, but then transferred to Trentino for another season in the second division.

“It seems like a dream!” she exclaimed. “What I wanted was to go up to A1, to do it at home for a club that is family to me. It's fantastic, I have no words... Now the men's team can also give a great gift to the whole city. Let's hope, but let's not say anything! I dedicate this success to Trentino Volley, which is truly a family for me. I dedicate it to myself too. I wanted to conquer Serie A1 to demonstrate that I deserve to play on the highest stage and it's an incredible joy.”

Quick links:
Lega Pallavolo Femminile Serie A1
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