The opening weeks of a new season are always about more than results. They are about bringing new teammates together, testing what has been built in practice, and discovering where the journey ahead can take a team. For the JCU Gladiators, the first two weeks of competition provided exactly that, as our men’s and women’s basketball teams, followed by our women’s volleyball team, took the court for their first friendly matches of the year.

Last Wednesday, our basketball programs officially tipped off their seasons on our home court at Oratorio San Paolo, welcoming Link Campus Erasmus for a pair of preseason scrimmages.

For both the men’s and women’s teams, the evening marked the first opportunity to see new rosters in game action and put weeks of training to the test against outside competition. While the results did not fall in our favor, the matches provided valuable lessons and insight into the work that lies ahead.

Both teams showed determination, competitive spirit, and moments of promising teamwork throughout the night. More importantly, they gained a clearer understanding of the level required to achieve their goals this season.

Reflecting on the matches, Head Coach Jose emphasized the importance of the experience:

“It was a good test for us, we needed a bit of a wake-up call, to show us where we are and show us how much harder we need to practice to get to our destination. Both teams had the wake-up call. Now that we know, we know how to respond and how to practice moving forward.”

Preseason games are designed to challenge teams and expose areas for growth, and Wednesday’s contests did exactly that. With a full season still ahead, both squads will use the experience as motivation to continue developing on and off the court.

Women’s Volleyball Takes the Next Step

Less than a week later, attention shifted from the basketball court to the volleyball court as our women’s volleyball team traveled to face Rome City Institute in an away friendly on Tuesday night.

The match was particularly significant as it represented the team’s first all-female test match together. Facing a competitive opponent on the road, the Gladiators battled hard throughout the contest, eventually falling 2-1. Despite the result, there were plenty of positives to take away from the evening.

After a nervous start, the team grew into the match and showed increasing confidence as the sets progressed, applying pressure to their opponents and demonstrating the potential of a group still in the early stages of its development.

Coach Massimo was encouraged by what he saw:

“Considering it was our first all-female test match, we played well. At the beginning, we stepped onto the court feeling a little nervous, probably due to the excitement. However, as the first set progressed, we started to find our rhythm and play really well, putting our opponents under pressure.

What I liked most was our team spirit. Technically, we did well in serving and attacking, while our blocking and defense are areas we need to improve.”

The sense of optimism following the match was echoed by team captain Livia, who praised the commitment shown by the group and emphasized the team’s eagerness to continue improving:

“Girlsss, really happy with how we played tonight. For our first game together, I really feel like everyone gave it their all. You were focused, determined, and really trying to figure out how to play well together, with the right mindset and the will to get better, point by point.

We’re just getting started. We know what we need to work on, so let’s take that into tomorrow and keep building!!

Already looking forward to the next one.”

Building Foundations for the Months Ahead

Three friendly matches, three valuable learning experiences, and one clear message: the 2026-27 season is underway.

While the scoreboard may not yet reflect the ambitions of our teams, these early contests have already highlighted the character, commitment, and growth mindset that define the Gladiator spirit. Every practice, every match, and every challenge faced together brings our student-athletes one step closer to reaching their potential.

As our basketball teams continue their preparations and our women’s volleyball squad builds momentum ahead of upcoming competition, there is plenty to be excited about.

The season is young, but the foundation is being built.

Go Gladiators! 💙🏀🏐