On the way up: This is what makes Katja Eckl tick

Katja Eckl grew up playing volleyball at SSV Bozen. At San Donà, Imoco Conegliano's talent factory, the youngster trained to become a top middle blocker. She played in the B1 and then the A2 divisions. In 2024, she was promoted to Serie A1 with Talmassons Friuli (as the best middle blocker in the entire championship).

Eckl was not short of lucrative offers. The Bolzano native chose Imoco Conegliano, the best club team of the moment. Playing alongside Olympic champions Sarah Fahr, Marina Lubian, and the strong Cristina Chirichella, she was able to learn a lot and grow.

She was aware of her role when she signed her contract. Eckl was brought in from Conegliano primarily to have a high-quality sparring partner for the starting seven during training. She didn't get much playing time. But at 22 (celebrated briefly on May 6th in Bolzano), that's something you can live with.

Eckl was able to celebrate five (out of a possible five) titles this year. After the Super Cup, Conegliano won the Club World Cup in China, the Italian Cup, the Italian Championship (for the seventh time in a row), and the Champions League on May 4 in Istanbul.

“Celebrated with Prosecco” The celebrations were truly intense, "with lots of Prosecco," Eckl jokes. First at the hotel in Istanbul, then upon returning with the fans who endured the rain, and finally with the 400 sponsors. Conegliano is a success story that's far from over.

"What a dream season, simply spectacular," Eckl enthuses. Our secret to success? "We're like a family, there's a strong sense of solidarity among the players, and we get along excellently with the coaching and support staff," Eckl reports.

She was able to learn a lot alongside superstars like the Brazilian Gabi, the Chinese Ting Zhou, and the exceptional Polish setter Asia Wolosz. Eckl: "Even on a personal level. We players all live in a residence and spent a lot of time together."

No time to switch off With so many training sessions and competitive matches every three days, there's hardly any time to unwind. Eckl finds variety by studying sports science with a focus on nutrition. "I'm making good progress and would like to pursue that direction after my playing career," says Eckl.

<a data-caption="Katja Eckl (hintere Reihe, Dritte von rechts) mit ihren Teamkolleginnen von Imoco Conegliano, der vielleicht besten Damen-Klubmannschaft der Volleyball-Geschichte. © RUBIN / FILIPPO RUBIN" data-fancybox="inline-261951" target="_image" href="https://s3-images.sportnews.bz/_images/scale/1280x1280/img/2025/05/katja-eckl-hintere-reihe-dritte-von-rechts-mit-ihren-teamkolleginnen-von-imoco-conegliano-der-vielleicht-besten-damen-klubmannschaft-der-volleybal.jpg"> Katja Eckl (back row, third from right) with her teammates from Imoco Conegliano, arguably the best women's club team in volleyball history. © RUBIN / FILIPPO RUBIN

Vacation is almost a foreign concept to her. After the medical tests these days at the CONI in Rome, she will travel with her parents for two or three days. Then she'll train with the Italian B team in Milan. Eckl is part of the squad that will compete in the Universiade in Berlin at the end of July.

The Conegliano chapter is (for now) over. Eckl is moving within Serie A1 and will play for a club in northern Italy. The decision has already been made, but the new employer has yet to be officially announced. "So I don't want to say anything about it yet. But everything is in the bag," said the down-to-earth Bolzano native.

Down-to-earth and hardworking Her simple, unfailingly friendly manner is well-received everywhere. Coaches highly value the 1,88-meter-tall middle blocker. Eckl always keeps her feet firmly on the ground. She learned this from her parents: "I can and still have a lot to improve. I have dreams that I keep to myself. After the Universiade, I hope to at least be able to switch off a bit before I fully concentrate on my new A1 club."

Whether the 2028 Olympic Games will also be an option remains to be seen. Eckl certainly has many good years ahead of him.

Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Hockey

Tennis

Winter sports

Learn More

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

Favorites

On the way up: This is what makes Katja Eckl tick

Supercup, Club World Cup, Italian Cup, league title, and the Champions League: Katja Eckl has won everything there is to win with Conegliano. Here she talks about all her experiences this year.

Comments (0)