Of all the great players to come from Italy, Francesca Piccinini is one of the most famous female athletes having played in four Olympic Games and at elite levels for almost twenty-five years.
Her first professional appearance was in 1993 in the Italian First Division with the club Carrarese.
She played for the Italian national volleyball team for years of international competition including multiple World Grand Prix and World Championships.
1996 Junior European Championships
1998 World Grand Prix (5th place)
1999 FIVB World Cup (7th place)
1999 BCV Volley Masters (Bronze)
1999 World Grand Prix (4th place)
1999 European Championship (Bronze)
2000 World Grand Prix (7th place)
2000 Volley Masters (4th place)
2001 European Championship (Silver)
2002 World Championship (Gold)
2004 FIVB World Grand Prix (Silver)
2005 FIVB World Grand Prix (Silver)
2005 European Championship (Silver)
2006 FIVB World Grand Prix (Bronze)
2007 FIVB World Cup (Gold)
2007 European Championship (Gold)
2008 FIVB World Grand Prix (Bronze)
2009 World Grand Champions Cup (Gold)
2009 European Championship (Gold)
2010 FIVB World Grand Prix (Bronze)
2014 World Championship (4th Place)
Piccinini has appeared in four Olympic tournaments wearing the Italian jersey.
2000 Summer Olympics (9th place)
2004 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics (5th place)
2012 Summer Olympics (5th place)
Highlights of Piccinini serving, digging, blocking and attacking in the 2006 World Championships, 2007 World Cup, and 2008 Olympic Games. Named the 2009-10 CEV Indesit Champions League Final Four Most Valuable Player after she and her club Volley Bergamo won the championship title.
Volleyball Player Profile
Professional Volleyball Player
Piccinini has played for several Italian clubs but is best known for playing in the Foppapedretti Bergamo (formerly Volley Bergamo), a top flight Italian volleyball club, for 12 years (1999-2011)
1999 Italian Super Cup Champions
2001-2002 Italian Championship Winners
2002-2003 Women’s CEV Champions League (3rd Place)
2004-2005 Women’s CEV Champions League
2005-2006 Italian Championship Winners
2006 Italian Cup Winners
2006-2007 Women’s CEV Champions League Winners
2008 Italian Cup Winners
2008-2009 CEV Champions League Winners
2009-2010 CEV Champions League Winners
2010 FIVB Club World Cup (Bronze)
2010-2011 Italian Championship Winners
2011 Italian Super Cup Winner
2015-2016 CEV Champions League Winner
She has also appeared as a model in several magazine covers.
Piccinini once posed nude for the Men’s Health edition of the 2004 calendar.
She was inspired to play volleyball by a 1980s Italian anime show.
“I like to be a role model for them. I am happy and honored for having the chance to help them improve and grow.
That is what happened to me when I was very young and I shared my time with more experienced and talented players. Still, I am also persuaded that competing with them I can keep growing and improving myself every single day.”
Francesca Piccinini to CEV.
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