Virtus Bologna (women's basketball)

Virtus Bologna
NicknameVu Nere (Black V)
LeaguesLBF
EuroLeague Women
Founded2019; 5 years ago (2019)
HistoryVirtus Pallacanestro Bologna
2019–present
ArenaPalaDozza
Capacity5,570
LocationBologna, Italy
Team colorsWhite, black
   
Main sponsorSegafredo Zanetti
CEOLuca Baraldi
PresidentMassimo Zanetti
Head coachPierre Vincent
Team captainCecilia Zandalasini
OwnershipMassimo Zanetti
Championships1 Italian Supercup
Websitevirtus.it

Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna, known for sponsorship reasons as Virtus Segafredo Bologna,[1] is an Italian professional women's basketball club based in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna.

The club was founded in 2019, as the women's wing of Virtus Bologna, one of the most important men's basketball team in Europe. Virtus is owned by the coffee entrepreneur Massimo Zanetti.[2]

History

2019–2021: Beginnings

In July 2019, the CEO of Virtus Bologna, Luca Baraldi, announced the opening of a women's basketball wing, to participate in the Serie A1 championship.[3] In the same month, Alberto Piombo, a tax advisor, was appointed president of the women's wing.[4] The 2019–20 season started with some troubles for Virtus, however, it was later cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.

In the 2020–21, Virtus signed among others Abby Bishop, Brooque Williams and Ana Marjia Begic, while it confirmed many players of the previous season, like the team captain, Elisabetta Tassinari.[5] Moreover, the new head coach was Lorenzo Serventi. Virtus ended the regular season at the fourth place and was defeated in the national semi-finals by Reyer Venezia.[6]

2021–present: Zandalasini era

On 20 May 2021, the club signed the 25 years old Cecilia Zandalasini, widely considered among the best Italian players of all time and 2017 WNBA Champion with the Minnesota Lynx.[7] On the same day, president Zanetti announced Lino Lardo as the new head coach. Lardo, who already coached the Black V's men's wing during the early 2010s, is also the coach of Italy's women's national team.[8] The roster was completed within a few days: on 24 May, Virtus signed also Sabrina Cinili, a point guard from Famila Schio,[9] on 27 May Ivana Dojkić, a Croatian shooting guard from UKS Praha[10] on 29 May Myisha Hines-Allen, a small forward from Lattes Montpellier who became WNBA Champion in 2019,[11] and on 30 May Brianna Turner, a power forward from Adelaide Lightning.[12]

Despite good premises, in November 2021 the team was eliminated in the group stage of the EuroCup.[13] On 19 April 2022, during the national semi-finals against Reyer Venezia, Lino Lardo was fired and his assistant Angela Gianolla became the new head coach.[14] The team ousted Reyer Venezia by 2–1 in the national semi-finals, reaching the finals for the first time in its history and qualifying for the EuroLeague Women. However, Virtus was defeated 3–1 by Famila Schio.[15]

In the following season, Giampiero Ticchi became the new head coach and the club signed important international players like Iliana Rupert, Cheyenne Parker and Kitija Laksa. In 2022–23, Virtus played for the first time in the EuroLeague Women, but it was ousted in the regular season with a winning record of 5–9.[16] The club ended the Italian championship's season at the first place but, once again, it lost the national finals against Famila Schio by 2–0.[17] During the first game of the series in PalaDozza, Virtus set a new all-time record for LBF with 5,337 attendances.[18]

Season by season

Season Tier League Pos. W–L Italian Cup European competitions
2019–20 1 LBF 13th[a]
5–14
2020–21 1 LBF 4th
20–11
 Semi-finalist
2021–22 1 LBF 2nd
23–11
 Runners-up 2 EuroCup
RS
2–4
2022–23 1 LBF 2nd
28–4
 Semi-finalist 1 EuroLeague
RS
5–9

Players

Current roster

Segafredo Virtus Bologna roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age
G 1 Italy Del Piero, Beatrice 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) 28 – (1996-04-17)17 April 1996
PG 6 Italy Pasa, Francesca 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) 24 – (2000-05-22)22 May 2000
F/C 12 France Rupert, Iliana 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) 23 – (2001-07-12)12 July 2001
SF 15 Italy Barberis, Beatrice 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) 29 – (1995-11-06)6 November 1995
C 17 Italy Laterza, Maria 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 35 – (1989-09-09)9 September 1989
SG 18 Croatia Dojkić, Ivana 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) 27 – (1997-12-24)24 December 1997
C 22 Italy Andrè, Olbis Futo 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) 25 – (1998-12-25)25 December 1998
SF 24 Italy Zandalasini, Cecilia 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 28 – (1996-03-16)16 March 1996
PG 29 Italy Orsili, Alessandra 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) 23 – (2001-10-04)4 October 2001
C 32 United States Parker, Cheyenne 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 32 – (1992-08-22)22 August 1992
SG 33 Latvia Laksa, Kitija 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) 28 – (1996-05-21)21 May 1996
SF 46 Italy Cinili, Sabrina (C) 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 35 – (1989-04-22)22 April 1989
Head coach
  • Italy Giampiero Ticchi
Assistant coach(es)
  • Italy Jordan Losi
  • Italy Giacomo Campanella
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured
Updated: 30 March 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

References

  1. ^ Segafredo Virtus Bologna, Eurosport
  2. ^ Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna – Proprietà, www.virtus.it
  3. ^ Bologna ora ha anche le donne in A-1: obiettivo salvezza, poi le ambizioni
  4. ^ Alberto Piombo, Virtuspedia
  5. ^ Femminile, Virtuspedia
  6. ^ A1 Femminile – Reyer Venezia, sarà finale: battuta la Virtus Bologna, Pianeta Basket
  7. ^ La Virtus Bologna ufficializza Cecilia Zandalasini: Felice di tornare e vestire questa maglia, Sportando
  8. ^ Segafredo Virtus Bologna, l’allenatore della squadra femminile è Lino Lardo, Sportando
  9. ^ Sabrina Cinili nuovo acquisto di Virtus Segafredo Bologna, Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna
  10. ^ Ivana Dojkić nuovo acquisto di Virtus Segafredo Bologna, Basket Inside
  11. ^ La Virtus Bologna batte un altro colpo: Myisha Hines-Allen è bianconera, Basket Inside
  12. ^ Brianna Turner nuovo acquisto di Virtus Segafredo Bologna, Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna
  13. ^ EuroCup Women – Carolo sbanca Bologna, Virtus eliminata, Basket Inside
  14. ^ Virtus Bologna femminile, decisione a sopresa: Lino Lardo non è più il capo allenatore, BolognaToday
  15. ^ Serie A1 femminile, il Famila Schio è Campione d'Italia: battuta la Virtus Bologna 69–84, Bologna Today
  16. ^ EuroLeague Women, il percorso della Virtus Bologna si chiude con l'USK Praga. BolognaToday
  17. ^ Basket femminile, Virtus battuta, Schio è campione d'Italia. la Repubblica
  18. ^ Virtus Bologna-Famila Schio, record di presenza di tutti i tempi per il basket femminile. Corriere della Sera
  1. ^ Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
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