Stefania Corna Dies at 35 Following Long Illness
Former Italian volleyball player Stefania Corna died at the age of 35 on Wednesday, October 7, after battling a long illness, according to reports from Italian Volleyball Federation and The Gazzetta dello Sport. Born in Bergamo, Corna built a notable career across Serie A1 and Serie A2 as both a setter and a central player, earning two European titles with the junior national team before transitioning to teaching English following her retirement from competitive sports.
Career Across Serie A and National Teams
Corna developed through the youth sector of Foppapedretti Bergamo before spending two seasons with the Club Italia program in 2005-06 and 2006-07, Italian Volleyball Federation noted. She reached the Serie A1 division with Bergamo in the 2007-08 season and subsequently competed for multiple clubs across Italy, including Milano, Parma, Pavia, Giaveno, Casalmaggiore, Montichiari, Scandicci, and a later stint with Cutrufano in 2017, as reported by The Gazzetta dello Sport.
Her club journey also included international stops in Tunisia with Cathage and in Switzerland with Kanti Schaffhausen. In the 2022-23 season, she returned to the Bergamo area to join CBL Costa Volpino, helping the team secure promotion from B1 to Serie A2. Roberto Dell’Orto, general manager of CBL Costa Volpino, recalled her professionalism and the immediate experience she brought to the locker room despite dealing with physical ailments during her brief tenure with the club.
At the international level, Corna represented Italy across youth categories from Under-18 to Under-20, capturing the Under-19 European Championship in 2006 and securing another continental title with the junior national team in 2008, Italian Volleyball Federation stated. She made her senior national team debut on June 7, 2011, at the Montreux Volley Masters during a match against Cuba.
Tributes and Funeral Arrangements
The Italian Volleyball Federation (FIPAV), led by President Giuseppe Manfredi alongside vice presidents Elio Sità and Massimo Sala, general secretary Stefano Bellotti, and the federal council, issued statements expressing condolences to Corna’s family. Clubs where she played also shared public tributes. Savino Del Bene Volley released a statement acknowledging her time in Scandicci and extending support to her family, former teammates, and loved ones, The Gazzetta dello Sport reported.
Corna is survived by her husband, Alejandro Rizo Gonzalez, an opposite hitter who previously played for Italian teams including Olimpia Agnelli and Tipiesse Cisano. Following her retirement from professional volleyball, she pursued her passion for languages and worked as an English teacher.
Funeral services are scheduled for Friday, October 9, at 10:00 a.m. at the Church of San Giorgio Martire in Boltiere, Bergamo, where she resided with her family.
Related reading