History made in Brazil as SCANDICCI triumph at Club World Championship
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Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI crowned their very first appearance at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship by winning the 2025 edition of the tournament on Sunday in São Paulo. The Italians, silver medallists from last year’s #CLVolleyW dethroned domestic rivals Prosecco Doc Imoco CONEGLIANO, who were trying to defend the title they had won in 2024, in the gold medal match at the Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu, securing a 3-1 (30-28, 25-19, 21-25, 25-23) victory to emerge as the new world champions in front of Brazilian fans.
The victory in Brazil is certainly the most memorable one in their club history. Founded in 2012-2013, when they appeared in their first tournaments in the lower divisions of the Italian national league, SCANDICCI had previously claimed the CEV Challenge Cup in 2022 and the CEV Cup title a year later. The team had made it to two other finals, in the 2023-2024 Italian League and earlier this year in the CEV Champions League, but fell to the ‘Panthers’ on both occasions.
They won the title in São Paulo with a nearly perfect campaign, which saw them defeat as many as three continental champions to end the event with five victories and only one set lost, in the final against their Italian rivals.
Olympic and world champion opposite Ekaterina Antropova was unstoppable in the final, leading SCANDICCI with 25 points (19 kills, three blocks, three aces), and ending the event as its top scorer, with 99. American outside hitter Avery Skinner also played a big role in the team’s victory, registering 18 kills, while middle blocker Linda Nwakalor stepped up to add another 14, with eight kills, five blocks and one ace.
Ekaterina Antropova“It was the first goal of our season, and we did it. We beat a really good team, and I think we showed from the beginning that we believed that we could do it. Winning this trophy with SCANDICCI was one of my personal goals, because I got to win a lot with the national team, and it was really important to give something back to this club.”
Most Valuable Player and Best Opposite
The defeat in Brazil prevents CONEGLIANO from earning their fourth world title (they won in 2019, 2022 and 2024) and tying Turkish giants VakifBank ISTANBUL as the most successful team at the Club World Championship. It is also the second tournament played by the club in 2025-2026 that does not end on a title - they also lost the Supercoppa Italiana to Numia Vero Volley MILANO. Their Swedish opposite Isabelle Haak, with 20 points (17 kills, two blocks, one ace), and Brazilian outside hitter Gabriela ‘Gabi’ Guimarães, with 19 (all in kills), were the most productive players for CONEGLIANO in the final.
Antropova wins the MVP award
The tournament’s top scorer, Antropova led the Club World Championship Dream Team, earning the MVP award and standing out as the best opposite. She was joined by two teammates, two Conegliano athletes and one from each of Brazilian sides Osasco São Cristovão Saúde and Dentil Praia Clube, which ranked third and fourth, respectively.
Club World Championship Dream Team
MVP: Ekaterina Antropova (Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI)
Best Setter: Maja Ognjenović (Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI)
Best Opposite: Ekaterina Antropova (Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI)
Best Outside Hitters: Avery Skinner (Savino Del Bene SCANDICCI) and Gabriela ‘Gabi’ Guimarães (Prosecco Doc Imoco CONEGLIANO)
Best Middle Blockers: Marina Lubian (Prosecco Doc Imoco CONEGLIANO) and Adenízia Ferreira (Dentil Praia Clube)
Best Libero: Camila Brait (Osasco São Cristovão Saúde)