Padua announces Gabi Garcia

Padua announces Gabi Garcia

Gabi Garcia Fernandez will be Padua Volleyball’s opposite number for the 2023-24 season. The athlete will play his third SuperLega season after wearing the Lube Civitanova jersey for two years. In the Marche region, he won the 2021_22 Scudetto, while with the National Team of Puerto Rico he won a Pan American Cup in addition to winning several individual awards (best opposite and best scorer in the 2017 Pan American Cup, among others).

Born in San Juan on January 8, 1999, Gabriel began playing volleyball at age 12 on local teams and made his debut in the top Puerto Rican league at 17. For academic reasons, he transferred to Brigham Young University in 2018 and began playing in the NCAA (along with Davide Gardini). In 2020 he was recognized with the Player of the Year award, and the following year he was signed by Lube to begin his adventure in Italy.

Also, in 2022, his change of sports nationality was approved, making him eligible for the U.S. national team starting in 2024.

“When the opportunity arose to come to Padua, I could not give up,” Garcia comments, “it is a reality about which I have been spoken well and above all I like the project. I can’t wait to start this new adventure.”

“I have been lucky enough to train with some great champions in the last two years. You learn so much, both from a technical and human point of view. These two years in Italy have been important both to create a winning mentality and to adapt my level of play to the SuperLega, which is obviously a whole different thing from America. In Padua I want to continue this path, there is a young and talented team, there are all the bases to have a great season and entertain the public.”

“I heard Davide (Gardini ed.), we were at BYU together and he explained to me how to work in Padua, then the society that is doing its best to put me in the conditions to be able to live and work at my best. I hope to reciprocate all the efforts, I am very charged and confident. The fans? In Padua they are very passionate, I remember it well. The important thing is that they are proud of the team, if we give our best on the field then we will be applauded. This is everyone’s goal, as for me the wish is to put down lots of heavy balls and never give an inch.”