# Verona Volley

Rana Verona is a professional volleyball team based in Verona, Italy. The club plays in Serie A1 of the Italian Volleyball League.

## History

The company API Volleyball Verona Ltd. was founded in June 2001 when two prominent volleyball companies in Verona, API Volleyball and Volleyball Verona Isola della Scala, merged. The then club team Volleyball Verona that played in Serie B1 won the championship and received promotion to Serie A2. The following season 2002, the team played with a new name AESSSE VRB Verona. They finished 3rd in the regular season.
In 2003 the club received a short noticed offer to play in Serie A1 when Volley Parma withdrew from the competition. The club accepted the offer despite having little time to prepare. This was the club's appearance debut in Serie A1. The club was then relegated back to A2 for the next season.
In 2004 the club went on to win the A2 championship without defeats. They were promoted again to A1. They also secured a five-year sponsorship with company MARMI LANZA. The team's performance were positive in the next two seasons. The team were relegated to A2 in 2007 but quickly regained promotion to play in A1 for the 2008 season. Since then the team has been playing in Serie A1. The club changed its name in 2014 to Calzedonia Verona when Calzedonia Group acquired the title sponsorship rights.
With the change of sponsor, the club used WithU Volley Verona for Season 2022–2023.
Starting from the season 2023–2024, the club will be called Rana Verona, as the club signed a multi year sponsorship contract with Verona's company Giovanni Rana

## Team

Team roster – season 2023/2024
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Position |
| 1 | Aidan Zingel | (1990-11-19)19 November 1990 | middle blocker |
| 2 | Lorenzo Cortesia | (1999-09-26)26 September 1999 | middle blocker |
| 4 | Donovan Džavoronok | (1997-07-23)23 July 1997 | outside hitter |
| 6 | Francesco D'Amico | (1999-10-09)9 October 1999 | libero |
| 7 | Nikola Jovović | (1992-02-13)13 February 1992 | setter |
| 9 | Noumory Keita | (2001-06-26)26 June 2001 | outside hitter |
| 10 | Amin Esmaeilnezhad | (1996-12-17)17 December 1996 | opposite |
| 11 | Aleks Grozdanov | (1998-03-28)28 March 1998 | middle blocker |
| 13 | Luca Spirito | (1993-10-30)30 October 1993 | setter |
| 15 | Pietro Bonisoli | (2005-02-11)11 February 2005 | libero |
| 18 | Leandro Mosca | (2000-09-05)5 September 2000 | middle blocker |
| 19 | Rok Možič | (2002-01-17)17 January 2002 | outside hitter |
| 20 | Marco Gaggini | (2002-04-07)7 April 2002 | libero |
| 21 | Andrea Zanotti | (1997-10-28)28 October 1997 | middle blocker |
| Head coach: Radostin Stoychev Assistant: Dario Simoni ||||
Team roster – season 2017/2018 :
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Position |
| 1 | Stefano Mengozzi | (1985-05-06)May 6, 1985 | middle blocker |
| 2 | Sebastián Solé | (1991-06-12)June 12, 1991 | middle blocker |
| 3 | Adriano Paolucci | (1979-02-11)February 11, 1979 | setter |
| 5 | Toncek Stern | (1995-11-14)November 14, 1995 | outside hitter |
| 6 | Federico Marretta | (1990-08-09)August 9, 1990 | outside hitter |
| 7 | Emanuele Birarelli | (1981-02-08)February 8, 1981 | middle blocker |
| 8 | Stephen Maar | (1994-12-06)December 6, 1994 | outside hitter |
| 10 | Thomas Frigo | (1997-05-19)May 19, 1997 | libero |
| 11 | Aleks Grozdanov | (1998-03-28)March 28, 1998 | middle blocker |
| 12 | Mitar Tzourits | (1989-04-25)April 25, 1989 | outside hitter |
| 13 | Luca Spirito | (1993-10-30)October 30, 1993 | setter |
| 14 | Mohammadjavad Manavinejad | (1995-11-27)November 27, 1995 | outside hitter |
| 17 | Thomas Jaeschke | (1993-09-04)September 4, 1993 | outside hitter |
| 18 | Nicola Pesaresi | (1991-02-11)February 11, 1991 | libero |
| Head coach: Nikola Grbić Assistant: Giancarlo D'Amico ||||
Team roster – season 2016/2017 :
| Calzedonia Verona ||||||
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Position |
| 1 | Aidan Zingel | (1990-11-19)November 19, 1990 | middle blocker |
| 2 | Uroš Kovačević | (1993-05-06)May 6, 1993 | outside hitter |
| 3 | Adriano Paolucci | (1979-02-11)February 11, 1979 | setter |
| 5 | François Lecat | (1993-04-19)April 19, 1993 | outside hitter |
| 6 | Alexandre Ferreira | (1991-11-13)November 13, 1991 | outside hitter |
| 7 | Andrea Giovi | (1983-08-19)August 19, 1983 | libero |
| 8 | Michele Baranowicz | (1989-08-05)August 5, 1989 | setter |
| 9 | Samuel Holt$^1$ | (1993-06-20)June 20, 1993 | outside hitter |
| 10 | Thomas Frigo | (1997-05-19)May 19, 1997 | libero |
| 11 | Stefano Mengozzi | (1985-05-06)May 6, 1985 | middle blocker |
| 12 | Mitar Tzourits | (1989-04-25)April 25, 1989 | outside hitter |
| 14 | Toncek Stern | (1995-11-14)November 14, 1995 | outside hitter |
| 17 | Simone Anzani | (1992-02-24)February 24, 1992 | middle blocker |
| 18 | Luigi Randazzo$^2$ | (1994-04-30)April 30, 1994 | outside hitter |
| Head coach: Andrea Giani (2016–Dec 2016) Nikola Grbić (Dec 2016–present) Assistant: Matteo De Cecco $^1$ Samuel Holt moved to Sieco Service Ortona on November 28, 2016. $^2$ Luigi Randazzo joined the club on November 29, 2016. ||||
Team roster – season 2015/2016 :
| Calzedonia Verona ||||||
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Position |
| 1 | Aidan Zingel | (1990-11-19)November 19, 1990 | middle blocker |
| 2 | Uroš Kovačević | (1993-05-06)May 6, 1993 | outside hitter |
| 3 | Nicola Pesaresi | (1991-02-11)February 11, 1991 | libero |
| 4 | Carmelo Gitto | (1987-07-03)July 3, 1987 | middle blocker |
| 5 | François Lecat | (1993-04-19)April 19, 1993 | outside hitter |
| 6 | Luca Spirito | (1993-10-30)October 30, 1993 | setter |
| 7 | Thomas Frigo | (1997-05-19)May 19, 1997 | libero |
| 8 | Michele Baranowicz | (1989-08-05)August 5, 1989 | setter |
| 10 | Saša Starović | (1988-10-19)October 19, 1988 | opposite |
| 13 | Giacomo Bellei | (1988-02-07)February 7, 1988 | opposite |
| 15 | Taylor Sander | (1992-03-17)March 17, 1992 | outside hitter |
| 17 | Simone Anzani | (1992-02-24)February 24, 1992 | middle blocker |
| 18 | Bartosz Bućko | (1995-01-06)January 6, 1995 | opposite |
| Head coach: Andrea Giani Assistant: Matteo De Cecco ||||

## Former names

* Calzedonia Verona 2017/2018
* Blu Volley Verona

## Achievements

* CEV Challenge Cup
    2016
* Italian Championship Serie A2
    2004
    2008
* Italian Cup Serie A2
    2004, 2008

## Kit manufacturer

The table below shows the history of kit providers for the Verona team.
| Period | Kit provider |
| 2005– | Legea Mikasa Adidas |

### Sponsorship

Primary sponsors include: main sponsors like Calzedonia other sponsors: Petas, UnipolSai, Corsini Cancelleria, AGSM Verona, La Fortezza, Enoteca zero7, STAServizi and 30 different companies.