Merit Adigwe, rising star of Italian volleyball, will also be Pantera in the 2026-27 season: the Italian opposite born in 2006 of 183 cm for the third season will wear the number 15 jersey of Prosecco DOC A. Carraro Imoco Conegliano. The Cremasca, in the spotlight this summer thanks to her debut in VNL as a starter with the senior national team, will also make up a pair of luxury bombers next season with Bella Haak at the disposal of coach Santarelli.
FILE – Born in Crema on August 24, 2006, Merit grew up volleyball in the local Volley 2.0, but already at the age of 15 she entered the yellow-blue galaxy by moving to the Next Gen nursery of Imoco Volley San Donà. Since 2024 he has been playing with the first team as Isabelle Haak’s assistant, taking more and more place in coach Santarelli’s rotations. A powerful opposite in attack and a serving specialist, at just 19 years old “Meme” plays at the highest level with Prosecco DOC and now also with Italy.
NUMBERS AND PALMARES WITH PROSECCO DOC – She is still 19 years old, but Merit Adigwe imposed herself in the first two seasons at Palaverde playing 181 sets in 76 appearances, collecting 379 points with 45% in attack, 47 aces and 36 blocks. His palmares already include 2 Scudetti, 2 Italian Cups, 1 Super Cup, 1 Club World Cup and 1 Champions League. With her 76 appearances in the Prosecco DOC jersey, Merit Adigwe is the player with the most tokens in the First Team to have grown up in the yellow-blue youth sector, behind her is Eleonora Fersino at 62.
NATIONAL TEAM – His performances as a “rising star” with Prosecco DOC Imoco have certainly not gone unnoticed: Adigwe has in fact already made his debut with Julio Velasco’s Italy in the recent test matches against France, now he is engaged in Brasilia in the first week of VNL with the Azzurre. In her career, victories with the youth national teams also stand out: in 2025 she won the U21 World Cup as MVP of the intercontinental review in Indonesia, in 2022 she put gold around her neck at the U17 European Championship in the Czech Republic.
MERIT ADIGWE STATEMENTS
“I’m really happy to stay in Conegliano again, I’ve been here for a long time and every season has allowed me to grow both as a player and as a person. These two years in the first team have made me mature in both aspects and I owe everything to my teammates and the staff who have always supported, advised and helped me despite being the latest arrival. Wearing this shirt is always a special emotion and I am really grateful to this club for continuing to give me this chance. My main goal for next season is to continue to improve, to be ready by Daniele (Santarelli) every time I am called and to be able to contribute to the achievement of the team’s goals. Now I am fully focused on the national team, a new, beautiful experience, it will be a challenging summer that will make me live great experiences allowing me to learn from high-level players and to continue my maturation process. Personally, I would certainly like to become more consistent in all the fundamentals and focus above all on my technical growth, gaining confidence, inserting new skills and above all gaining experience. My heart is always with the yellow-blue fans, they are always nice to me and even from afar this summer they are making me feel their support, I already miss them and I miss the magical atmosphere they know how to create at the Palaverde. In the meantime, I am enjoying these months in the national team, but from September I will be ready and charged to start another great season with them.”