Vienna, Austria. Alexander Tusch is the first setter from Austria to secure the right to play in the elite Italian SuperLega (Serie A1). The 28-year-old made a sensational transfer from the Estonian top club SAAREMAA VK to Kioene PADOVA, where Austrian Volleyball superstar Alexander Berger spent the 2015-2016 season.
Tusch made his first appearance in the highest division of the Italian national league on Wednesday evening, as his team lost 1-3 to Consar RAVENNA. The Tyrolean replaces the injured American Kawika Shoji as the team from Padua currently sits in eleventh place. “That’s why I was given this opportunity in the first place. I am extremely happy that it worked. This is a dream come true,” Tusch admits. “It is probably the wish of every Volleyball player to be able to play in this league at least once. I am looking forward to the time I will spend here and hope that I can support the team to end the season strongly.”
Tusch has returned to Italy after spending the 2018-2019 season in the Serie A2 at BCC Leverano.
Austrian Volleyball Federation Sports Director Gottfried Rath-Zobernig is obviously happy with the surprising move. “He is the first Austrian setter to play in the most famous league in the world! It is like there is an Austrian quarterback in the NFL!”
Earlier this year, Tusch played for Team Austria at the EuroVolley 2021 qualifier held in Hadera, Israel, where he finished in second place, but missed out on a ticket to the continental showpiece event due to take place later this year in Poland, Czech Republic, Estonia and Finland.
