The first new face of the 2025/26 season of Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano is a sweet return to the base of a former “pantherine”: Matilde Munarini will be a central player available to coach Daniele Santarelli, after a long path of growth both in the youth sector and as a professional.
Matilde Munarini was born in Vicenza on June 3, 2004. After a few years in modern dance, she began playing volleyball in fifth grade, taking her first steps at Volley San Paolo Vicenza. In 2019 she took flight and became part of the Imoco Next Gen galaxy: Matilde moved to Imoco Volley San Donà. In the three seasons of militancy, he won provincial, regional and national titles making his debut in the Serie C championship with Valentino Ricci Imoco Volley at the age of 15. The following season he joined the B1 team of Cortina Express Imoco Volley. In 2022 he closed his career in the youth team, playing and winning the U18 Scudetto Final played in Verona as MVP. As early as the summer of 2021, however, Matilde began working with the first team of Prosecco DOC Imoco Conegliano, making her debut in the first team on 16 January 2022 in the regular season match at the Palaverde of the A1 championship against Rome: “The youth experience as Panterina was intense and formative – says the new central -I fully embraced the sporting values of the club, with the humility and determination that have always been part of my nature but which have found full realization there. I return to Conegliano happy to be able to wear this jersey again that I wore with pride as a girl and that I now want to honor from the bottom of my heart. It will be a season full of commitments, challenges and goals to be achieved, with the certainty that great results are built day by day with dedication in the gym. I am ready to give my best by bringing energy and positivity!” .
The professional path of the yellow-blue center began in the summer of 2022, where he moved to Valsabbina Millennium Brescia in A2. In the last two years she has moved to Esperia Cremona, also in A2: in the season just ended she established herself as one of the best in her role in the entire championship. In the 24/25 season he finished with 29 appearances in all competitions, totaling 321 points: he scored 216 winning attacks, but it is on the block where he has found an extraordinary level of continuity. totaling 95 winning blocks, second in the specialty, as well as 10 aces, almost 1 per game. “Playing in A2 was fundamental for my personal growth because it allowed me to gain experience as a protagonist in a high-level championship. In Cremona I learned to take responsibility, putting myself on the line in a competitive championship.”
Her summer opened in a great way: in the first phase of the national team season, coach Julio Velasco called her up with the senior national team. For her part, Matilde wasted no time and immediately stood out, making her debut with Italy and winning the MVP award in the friendly match at the PalaIgor in Novara with the Netherlands: 11 points was the turnover of her performance, now Matilde continues to gain space in the Azzurri. Also in the 2021/22 season, he also participated with the U19 national team in the European Championships and the EYOF. “Wearing the senior national team jersey is a dream come true. I am grateful to have the opportunity to train and compare myself with some of the best players in the world and to be mentored by legendary coaches and an elite staff. I am sure that this experience will allow me to arrive in Conegliano even more ready to face the challenges that await us”.
Munarini is a versatile center who boasts exceptional timing to go to the wall, a specialty that made her great in the last season of A2, but retains the right explosiveness to hammer well even in attack thanks to a precise first half. She was viewed for a week at the Imoco Next Gen Summer Camp before starting her experience with Volley Pool Piave. There little Matilde had a special meeting: “The first time I met Dani was at 14 during my first Imoco Summer Camp and initially I had not connected Dani to Daniele Santarelli, he joked with us girls all the time. He is a fantastic person and a very technical coach who knows how to drag his players, I am looking forward to working with him.”
Music, sea and other sports, here is Matilde outside volleyball: “I have a great passion for music, which accompanies me every day. “You could say that I live with a soundtrack! My refuge to disconnect is the sea, I like surfing, sailing and snorkeling, a strong passion that my parents passed on to me. I can’t wait to return to the Palaverde to feel the passion of the yellow-blue fans. See you soon!”