Freski returned to AO Thiras

With Matteo Freschi next season, AO Thiras will compete in all women’s volleyball events. The Santorinis announced the hiring of the 33-year-old Italian technician for next year, as the first this time after his previous term three years ago under Kostas Papadopoulos.

Freski is Lorenzo Micelli’s assistant in the Bulgarian national team.

In detail, the announcement:

“The management of AO Thira is pleased to announce the start of cooperation with the 33-year-old Italian coach of Bartoccini Fortinfissi Perugia, Matteo Freschi. The familiar to the public of Santorini from his earlier presence in the technical staff of our team, assumes the role of first coach for the 2023-2024 season of the Women’s Volleyball League.

Born on 04/03/1990 in Mondolfo, Pesaro, Freschi started as an athlete and then obtained, at a young age, the FIPAV (Italian Volleyball Federation) coaching diploma, specializing in the developmental categories.

He is a very hard-working, ambitious coach, with important work and valuable performances from the most important competitions of world volleyball, valuable sure guarantees for the return of our team on the way to distinctions.

He made his bench debut in 2012 with his hometown team, Volleyball Mondolfo. Later, his stints at Chateaux d’ex Urbino, Volley Pesaro, Esino Volley followed, while in 2017 he was in the province of Pesaro-Urbino on behalf of Virtus Fano.

In 2018/2019, he returned again to the bench of Volley Pesaro and the following season he moved to Montecchio, taking over the duties of second coach of the Unione Volley Montecchio Maggiore team in Italy’s Serie A2.

In 2020, he had his first international experience in Greece, where he was second coach at AO Thiras. In a difficult year, where the championship was interrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Italian coach emerged with our team as a finalist in the Greek Cup.

In 2021, following a call from coach Matteo Bertini, he returned to Italy to work alongside his compatriot Delta Despar Trentino Rosa in Women’s Serie A, with their successful partnership continuing into the final season in the Italian women’s top flight volleyball, in the colors of Bartoccini-Fortinfissi Perugia.

Alongside the collegiate level, Freschi has experience and national team level. From 2022 until today, she is a member of the technical staff of the women’s representative group of Bulgaria, headed by the Italian federal coach, Lorenzo Micelli.

Alongside the coach of the finalist Olympiakos, as a statistician, Freschi participated in the 2022 Volley Nations League and the World Championship, placing 14th and 17th respectively.

In his first statements as the new “helmsman” of AO Thiras, the Italian coach stated that: “I am very happy for my return to Santorini, from where I have amazing memories, both of the team and all the people of the island.

My goal for the new season is to create a team, in which the most important word will be work. The working environment is very good to achieve this and already all of us at AO Thiras are trying to do our best.

The Greek league, year after year, is definitely more difficult and competitive, which is an additional motivation to compete every day”, emphasized Matteo Freschi, who is looking forward to coming to Santorini soon to officially assume his new duties.

The administration of our club welcomes Matteo back to the AO Thira family and wishes him a new competitive season with health, success and distinctions”.

Matteo Freschi’s career in detail:

2022/2023A1Bartoccini Fortinfissi Perugia

2022/2023 Bulgarian Women’s National Team

2021/2022A1Trentino Rosa

2020/2021A1A.O. Game

2019/2020A2 Union Volley Montecchio Maggiore

2018/2019DVolley Pesaro

2017/2018BVirtus Fano

2016/2017A2 Volley Pesaro

2015/2016 DEsino Volley

2014/2015B1 Volley Pesaro

2013/2014A1 Chateaux d’ex Urbino

2012/2013Volleyball Mondolfo