Former Italy volleyball setter Stefania Corna dies at 35 following illness
Italian volleyball player Stefania Corna, a two-time junior European champion and former Serie A setter, died on 7 October 2026 at age 35 in Boltiere following an extended illness.
Death of Stefania Corna
Former Italian national team setter Stefania Corna died on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, at the age of 35 following an extended illness. Corna lived in Boltiere, a municipality in the province of Bergamo, where she resided with her husband, volleyball player Alejandro Rizo Gonzalez, and her family. After retiring from competitive volleyball, Corna transitioned away from the sport to work as an English teacher.
Her funeral service is scheduled to take place on Friday, 9 October 2026, at 10:00 in the church of San Giorgio Martire in Boltiere. Her passing prompted immediate statements of condolence across the sport from national governing bodies, regional clubs, and former teammates.
Junior titles and international debut
Corna developed through the youth academy of Foppapedretti Bergamo, earning promotion to the senior squad when she was 18 years old. She spent two formative seasons from 2005 to 2007 representing Club Italia, a development program operated by the national federation for young prospects. During this period, Corna achieved significant international success with the Italian youth setup.
She won two Under-19 European Championship titles with the Italian junior national team, first in 2006 and again in 2008. Her progression culminated in a call-up to the senior Italian national team, where she made her debut on 7 June 2011 at the Montreux Volley Masters in Switzerland during a match against Cuba that ended in a 1-3 loss.
- Wins Under-19 European Championship with Italy while training with Club Italia
- Wins second Under-19 European Championship and claims Coppa Italia with Bergamo
- Debuts for the senior Italy national team against Cuba at Montreux Volley Masters
- Earns promotion to Serie A1 with Giaveno before joining Casalmaggiore
- Dies at age 35 in Boltiere following an extended illness
Club career across Serie A and Switzerland
During the 2007–2008 season, Corna returned to Foppapedretti Bergamo as the third setter behind Italian national team setter Leo Lo Bianco. That season, the Bergamo squad reached the playoff semifinals of the Italian league and won the Coppa Italia. Corna subsequently moved between Serie A2 and Serie A1 teams across the country.
She played in Serie A2 for Original Marines Milano and Cariparma Sigrade Parma before stepping up to Serie A1 with Riso Scotti Pavia. In the 2011–2012 season, Corna helped Giaveno secure promotion to Serie A1 before transferring to Pomì Casalmaggiore for the subsequent campaign. Her career also included tenures at Montichiari, Savino Del Bene Scandicci, and Swiss team Volley Club Kanti. In later years, she competed in Serie B and regional competitions with Maglie, Cutrofiano, Corridonia, Trevi, Pesaro, and CBL Costa Volpino.
Tributes across Italian volleyball
The Italian Volleyball Federation (FIPAV) issued a collective statement on behalf of president Giuseppe Manfredi, vice presidents Elio Sità and Massimo Sala, general secretary Stefano Bellotti, and the entire federal council, extending condolences to Corna's family and relatives.
There is news that we would never want to have to report. Savino Del Bene Volley mourns the untimely passing of Stefania Corna, who during her career also wore the jersey of Scandicci, leaving a memory that today returns even stronger. A piece of news that deeply affects the entire world of volleyball and also our family.
Tributes also came from Lega Pallavolo Serie A Femminile on behalf of all member clubs, as well as ChorusLife Volley Bergamo, which honored Corna as a former athlete who had grown up in the club's youth academy.
