Italy Women’s Water Polo: Carlo Silipo Steps Down, Maurizio Mirarchi Takes the Helm

After leading the Italian women’s water polo team, known as the Setterosa, to renewed success and Olympic qualification, head coach Carlo Silipo has been relieved of his duties. The Italian Swimming Federation (FIN) has appointed Maurizio Mirarchi, currently an assistant coach for the Italian men’s team (Settebello) and coach of Trieste, as his replacement. The official announcement is expected shortly following a meeting between Silipo and FIN President Paolo Barelli.

Silipo’s Legacy of Revival

Silipo’s tenure marked a significant turning point for the Setterosa, restoring the team’s competitiveness after a period of underperformance. Prior to his arrival in 2017, Italy had faced consistent quarter-final eliminations in major tournaments, with their last medal being a silver at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Under Silipo, the team modernized its approach to the game, emphasizing physicality and one-on-one play, and accelerated a generational shift within the roster.

His leadership resulted in a bronze medal at the 2022 European Championships in Split, and a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka. The team also reached the semi-finals in three other major competitions: the 2022 World Championships in Budapest, the 2024 European Championships in Eindhoven, and the 2026 Funchal tournament. Crucially, Silipo secured Olympic qualification for the 2024 Paris Games, ending an eight-year absence for Italy in women’s water polo.

Challenges and Context

Despite the positive trajectory, the Setterosa was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Paris 2024 Olympics, losing to the Netherlands 8-11. This result prompted a review of the program, and the change in leadership. The decision to remove Silipo comes amidst a broader crisis in Italian women’s club water polo, with Italian teams struggling to compete internationally. The last Champions League title won by an Italian team was in 2012, a stark contrast to the previous 14 years which saw 8 successes. In the last two Olympic cycles, Italian clubs have secured only three trophies out of 24 available (Euro Cup-Supercoppa dell’Orizzonte in 2018, and the Euro Cup del Plebiscito in 2024).

The retirement of goalkeeper Caterina Banchini at age 24 after the Paris Olympics also presented a challenge, as finding a suitable replacement proved difficult for Silipo.

Mirarchi’s Appointment and Future Outlook

Maurizio Mirarchi brings a wealth of experience to the role, having worked extensively with both men’s and women’s water polo programs. He will continue to serve as an assistant coach for the Settebello while also leading the Setterosa, and will remain the head coach of Trieste for the remainder of the current season. His first competition will be Division 1 of the World Cup in Rotterdam, from May 1-6.

Mirarchi faces the task of maintaining Italy’s position among the top international teams, despite internal challenges within the Italian water polo system and increasing competition from other nations. A key objective will be qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which will feature 12 women’s teams – an increase from previous Games. The return of Russia to the international scene adds another layer of complexity to the qualification process.

Mirarchi’s previous success as coordinator of the national youth teams offers a positive outlook. Last summer, Italy achieved fourth-place finishes in the European U16 Championships, the European U18 Championships, and the U20 World Cup – the best collective result since 2019. He also led the National University team to a bronze medal at the Rhine-Ruhr Universiade.

Impact on Settebello Staff

Mirarchi’s appointment will create a vacancy on the Settebello coaching staff, which the Italian Swimming Federation currently does not plan to fill. Head coach Sandro Campagna will continue with his existing team of technical assistants.