Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour
US$1,000,000 Beach Volleyball World Championships
October 6 - 15, 2023
(8) Samuele Cottafava/Paolo Nicolai, Italy
 
Samuele Cottafava
Italy
Photo: FIVB
Personal Info
Birth Date: Nov 1, 1998 (26 yrs old)
Home Town: Modena
Height: 193 cm (6'4")
Weight: 82 kg (180 lb)
Seasons: 6
Tournaments: 50
Career Wins: 4
Career Winnings: US$164,392.41
Paolo Nicolai
Italy
Photo: FIVB
Personal Info
Birth Date: Aug 6, 1988 (36 yrs old)
Home Town: Ortona
Height: 203 cm (6'8")
Weight: 91 kg (200 lb)
Seasons: 19
Tournaments: 153
Career Wins: 6
Career FIVB WT Wins: 4
Career Winnings: US$701,287.50
Team Career Summary 
TourPlayed1234579131725Money
FIVB3313328010330 US$312,250.00
Previous Tlaxcala Results 
YearPartner - ResultPartner - Result
2022 Paolo Nicolai - 9th Samuele Cottafava - 9th
Recent Results 
TourDateTournamentSeedFinishPointsMoney
FIVB 9/27-10/1/2023 Elite16 Paris 6 5th 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 8/16-20/2023 Elite16 Hamburg 13, Q3 2nd 1100 US$20,000.00
FIVB 7/26-30/2023 Elite16 Montréal Q8 17th 400 US$0.00
FIVB 7/20-23/2023 Challenge Edmonton 13 3rd 720 US$7,000.00
FIVB 7/13-16/2023 Challenge Portugal 7 9th 460 US$2,500.00
FIVB 6/15-18/2023 Challenge Jurmala 3 9th 460 US$2,500.00
FIVB 5/31-6/4/2023 Elite16 Ostrava Q2 17th 400 US$0.00
FIVB 4/26-30/2023 Elite16 Uberlândia 9 9th 600 US$6,000.00
FIVB 3/22-26/2023 Elite16 Tepic 9 5th 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 2/1-5/2023 Doha Elite16 9 9th 600 US$6,000.00
FIVB 1/26-29/2023 Beach Pro Tour Finals 6 3rd 0 US$50,000.00
FIVB 11/2-6/2022 Cape Town Elite 16 4 5th 760 US$8,000.00
Beach Volleyball World Championships Matches
DateBracketOpponentScoreTime
Fri, 10/6/2023 Pool H Jorge Barajas / Gabriel Cruz, Mexico (41) Won 21-9, 21-11 0:31
Sun, 10/8/2023 Pool H Paul Burnett / Christopher McHugh, Australia (32) Won 21-18, 21-18 0:35
Mon, 10/9/2023 Pool H Adrian Gavira / Pablo Herrera, Spain (17) Lost 15-21, 18-21 0:38
Wed, 10/11/2023 Winner 1 Nicolas Capogrosso / Tomas Capogrosso, Argentina (35) Won 21-17, 21-12 0:34
Thu, 10/12/2023 Winner 2 Anders Mol / Christian Sorum, Norway (1) Lost 19-21, 17-21 0:39
World Championships Results 
YearEventLocationPartner - ResultPartner - Result
2009World ChampionshipsStavanger Did not play Matteo Varnier - 17th
2011World ChampionshipsRome Did not play Matteo Martino - 9th
2013World ChampionshipsStare Jablonki Did not play Daniele Lupo - 9th
2015World ChampionshipsThe Hague Did not play Daniele Lupo - 17th
2017World ChampionshipsVienna Did not play Daniele Lupo - 17th
2019World ChampionshipsHamburg Did not play Daniele Lupo - 5th
2022World ChampionshipsRome Paolo Nicolai - 9th Samuele Cottafava - 9th
World Championships Results 
TourDateTournamentSeedFinishPointsMoney
FIVB 6/10-19/2022 Beach Volleyball World Championships 14 9th 800 US$11,000.00
FIVB 10/6-15/2023 Beach Volleyball World Championships 8 9th 800 US$11,000.00
Head to Head Results
Cottafava/Nicolai lead the series against the field 37-36 (Lead 18 Series, Trail 12 Series, 2 Series Tied)
DateTourTournamentRoundWinning TeamSeedLosing TeamSeedScoreTime
Trail the series against # 1 Mol/Sorum, Norway 1-7
10/12/23FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Winner 2 Mol/Sorum 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 8 21-19, 21-17 0:39
8/20/23FIVBElite16 Hamburg Semi-Finals Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q3 Mol/Sorum 1 25-23, 19-21, 15-13 0:57
4/27/23FIVBElite16 Uberlândia Pool A Mol/Sorum 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 21-19, 21-15 0:33
3/23/23FIVBElite16 Tepic Pool A Mol/Sorum 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 21-19, 21-13 0:31
2/2/23FIVBDoha Elite16 Pool A Mol/Sorum 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 21-15, 19-21, 15-12 0:47
1/29/23FIVBBeach Pro Tour Finals Semi-Finals Mol/Sorum 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 6 21-15, 14-21, 15-10 0:58
1/28/23FIVBBeach Pro Tour Finals Pool B Mol/Sorum 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 6 23-25, 21-16, 15-12 0:53
3/25/22FIVBRosarito Elite 16 Pool B Mol/Sorum 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 15, Q7 20-22, 27-25, 15-7 0:54
Trail the series against # 2 Ahman/Hellvig, Sweden 1-2
8/20/23FIVBElite16 Hamburg Gold Medal Ahman/Hellvig 5 Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q3 21-16, 22-24, 21-19 1:00
8/17/23FIVBElite16 Hamburg Pool D Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q3 Ahman/Hellvig 5 21-18, 16-21, 15-13 0:45
2/3/23FIVBDoha Elite16 Pool A Ahman/Hellvig 8 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 21-19, 21-9 0:28
Lead the series against # 3 Benesh/Partain, United States 1-0
9/30/23FIVBElite16 Paris Winner 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 6 Benesh/Partain 1 21-17, 21-16 0:35
Trail the series against # 4 Loyola/Wanderley, Brazil 1-5
9/29/23FIVBElite16 Paris Pool C Loyola/Wanderley 3 Cottafava/Nicolai 6 21-19, 15-21, 15-10 0:49
8/11/22FIVBHamburg Elite 16 Pool B Loyola/Wanderley 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 7 22-20, 21-16 0:40
6/4/22FIVBJurmala Elite 16 Semi-Finals Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q1 Loyola/Wanderley 3 21-19, 22-20 0:40
5/27/22FIVBOstrava Elite 16 Pool D Loyola/Wanderley 4 Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q3 21-16, 21-17 0:35
4/16/22FIVBItapema Challenge Winner 2 Loyola/Wanderley 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 13 21-19, 23-21 0:44
4/15/22FIVBItapema Challenge Pool A Loyola/Wanderley 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 13 29-31, 21-18, 15-13 1:05
Lead the series against # 5 Carambula/Ranghieri, Italy 1-0
1/28/23FIVBBeach Pro Tour Finals Winner 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 6 Carambula/Ranghieri 10 21-18, 21-11 0:35
Series tied with # 6 Ehlers/Wickler, Germany 1-1
8/18/23FIVBElite16 Hamburg Pool D Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q3 Ehlers/Wickler 4 27-25, 21-19 0:42
4/29/23FIVBElite16 Uberlândia Winner 1 Ehlers/Wickler 6 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 24-22, 21-17 0:37
Lead the series against # 7 Tijan/Younousse, Qatar 2-1
3/24/23FIVBElite16 Tepic Pool A Cottafava/Nicolai 9 Tijan/Younousse 8 21-18, 21-12 0:31
9/30/22FIVBParis Elite 16 Pool C Tijan/Younousse 6 Cottafava/Nicolai 3 21-18, 26-24 0:42
6/5/22FIVBJurmala Elite 16 Gold Medal Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q1 Tijan/Younousse 1 16-21, 27-25, 15-12 0:56
Trail the series against # 9 Goncalves/Mariano, Brazil 0-1
5/31/23FIVBElite16 Ostrava Qualifier 2 Goncalves/Mariano 15, Q10 Cottafava/Nicolai Q2 21-19, 14-21, 15-12 0:49
Trail the series against # 10 Brouwer/Meeuwsen, Netherlands 3-4
2/4/23FIVBDoha Elite16 Winner 1 Brouwer/Meeuwsen 3 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 21-17, 28-30, 15-12 0:56
1/29/23FIVBBeach Pro Tour Finals Bronze Medal Cottafava/Nicolai 6 Brouwer/Meeuwsen 3 22-20, 19-21, 16-14 0:57
1/26/23FIVBBeach Pro Tour Finals Pool B Cottafava/Nicolai 6 Brouwer/Meeuwsen 3 22-20, 24-22 0:40
10/1/22FIVBParis Elite 16 Semi-Finals Brouwer/Meeuwsen 5 Cottafava/Nicolai 3 27-25, 23-25, 15-9 1:01
8/13/22FIVBHamburg Elite 16 Winner 1 Brouwer/Meeuwsen 9 Cottafava/Nicolai 7 23-21, 21-16 0:41
3/24/22FIVBRosarito Elite 16 Pool B Brouwer/Meeuwsen 7 Cottafava/Nicolai 15, Q7 16-21, 21-11, 16-14 0:50
3/18/22FIVBTlaxcala Challenge Pool B Cottafava/Nicolai 14 Brouwer/Meeuwsen 2 21-19, 16-21, 15-9 0:46
Trail the series against # 11 Bryl/Losiak, Poland 1-2
8/11/22FIVBHamburg Elite 16 Pool B Cottafava/Nicolai 7 Bryl/Losiak 15, Q3 24-22, 21-18 0:38
5/26/22FIVBOstrava Elite 16 Pool D Bryl/Losiak 5 Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q3 21-13, 18-21, 23-21 0:56
5/8/22FIVBDoha Challenge Gold Medal Bryl/Losiak 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 21-18, 21-15 0:35
Lead the series against # 12 Sarabia/Virgen, Mexico 1-0
5/25/22FIVBOstrava Elite 16 Qualifier 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q3 Sarabia/Virgen Q14 21-18, 21-11 0:30
Trail the series against # 13 Felipe/Lima, Brazil 1-2
1/27/23FIVBBeach Pro Tour Finals Pool B Cottafava/Nicolai 6 Felipe/Lima 9 21-14, 21-15 0:34
6/16/22FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Winner 2 Felipe/Lima 12 Cottafava/Nicolai 14 11-21, 21-19, 15-13 0:56
5/6/22FIVBDoha Challenge Pool D Felipe/Lima 4 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 19-21, 25-23, 15-12 0:54
Lead the series against # 14 Grimalt/Grimalt, Chile 2-0
10/2/22FIVBParis Elite 16 Bronze Medal Cottafava/Nicolai 3 Grimalt/Grimalt 7 21-16, 21-16 0:38
5/7/22FIVBDoha Challenge Winner 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 Grimalt/Grimalt 15, Q2 21-14, 21-18 0:35
Trail the series against # 16 Perusic/Schweiner, Czech Republic 0-3
9/30/23FIVBElite16 Paris Winner 2 Perusic/Schweiner 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 6 21-19, 21-15 0:38
4/28/23FIVBElite16 Uberlândia Pool A Perusic/Schweiner 8 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 19-21, 21-13, 15-12 0:49
1/26/23FIVBBeach Pro Tour Finals Pool B Perusic/Schweiner 7 Cottafava/Nicolai 6 29-31, 21-18, 15-11 0:58
Lead the series against # 17 Gavira/Herrera, Spain 2-1
10/9/23FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Pool H Gavira/Herrera 17 Cottafava/Nicolai 8 21-15, 21-18 0:38
8/19/23FIVBElite16 Hamburg Winner 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q3 Gavira/Herrera 15, Q9 16-21, 21-13, 15-10 0:43
7/21/23FIVBChallenge Edmonton Pool A Cottafava/Nicolai 13 Gavira/Herrera 12 25-23, 19-21, 16-14 1:01
Lead the series against # 18 Carvalhaes/Solberg, Brazil 3-1
8/18/23FIVBElite16 Hamburg Pool D Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q3 Carvalhaes/Solberg 12 21-19, 21-14 0:36
7/26/23FIVBElite16 Montréal Qualifier 2 Carvalhaes/Solberg 13, Q1 Cottafava/Nicolai Q8 27-25, 21-18 0:45
7/23/23FIVBChallenge Edmonton Bronze Medal Cottafava/Nicolai 13 Carvalhaes/Solberg 1 21-19, 21-19 0:46
7/21/23FIVBChallenge Edmonton Pool A Cottafava/Nicolai 13 Carvalhaes/Solberg 1 By Forfeit  
Lead the series against # 20 Horl/Horst, Austria 2-0
9/28/23FIVBElite16 Paris Pool C Cottafava/Nicolai 6 Horl/Horst 14, Q5 25-23, 21-19 0:40
5/31/23FIVBElite16 Ostrava Qualifier 1 Cottafava/Nicolai Q2 Horl/Horst Q15 21-16, 21-18 0:36
Lead the series against # 22 Gauthier-Rat/Krou, France 2-0
9/30/22FIVBParis Elite 16 Pool C Cottafava/Nicolai 3 Gauthier-Rat/Krou 14, Q2 21-12, 21-15 0:29
5/7/22FIVBDoha Challenge Winner 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 Gauthier-Rat/Krou 17, Q3 30-32, 21-16, 15-9 0:56
Series tied with # 24 Boermans/de Groot, Netherlands 1-1
3/25/23FIVBElite16 Tepic Winner 2 Boermans/de Groot 13, Q5 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 19-21, 21-16, 15-9 0:46
5/8/22FIVBDoha Challenge Semi-Finals Cottafava/Nicolai 9 Boermans/de Groot 3 16-21, 21-9, 15-11 0:42
Trail the series against # 25 Lupo/Rossi, Italy 0-1
3/23/23FIVBElite16 Tepic Pool A Lupo/Rossi 16, Q10 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 21-15, 21-19 0:39
Lead the series against # 26 Campos/Pedrosa, Portugal 2-0
7/14/23FIVBChallenge Portugal Pool F Cottafava/Nicolai 7 Campos/Pedrosa 6 26-24, 21-16 0:40
6/16/23FIVBChallenge Jurmala Pool C Cottafava/Nicolai 3 Campos/Pedrosa 22 21-19, 29-27 0:41
Trail the series against # 27 Berntsen/Mol, Norway 0-2
7/23/23FIVBChallenge Edmonton Semi-Finals Berntsen/Mol 16 Cottafava/Nicolai 13 21-18, 21-18 0:39
7/6/22FIVBGstaad Elite 16 Pool F Berntsen/Mol 27 Cottafava/Nicolai 6 21-19, 21-13 0:32
Lead the series against # 28 Popov/Reznik, Ukraine 1-0
7/22/23FIVBChallenge Edmonton Winner 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 13 Popov/Reznik 7 25-23, 21-16 0:39
Trail the series against # 30 Kantor/Zdybek, Poland 0-1
6/17/23FIVBChallenge Jurmala Winner 1 Kantor/Zdybek 19, Q9 Cottafava/Nicolai 3 21-18, 21-17 0:34
Lead the series against # 32 Burnett/McHugh, Australia 1-0
10/8/23FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Pool H Cottafava/Nicolai 8 Burnett/McHugh 32 21-18, 21-18 0:35
Lead the series against # 33 Alayo/Diaz, Cuba 1-0
6/15/22FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Winner 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 14 Alayo/Diaz 39 21-18, 21-18 0:36
Lead the series against # 35 Capogrosso/Capogrosso, Argentina 1-0
10/11/23FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Winner 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 8 Capogrosso/Capogrosso 35 21-17, 21-12 0:34
Lead the series against # 38 Bassereau/Lyneel, France 2-0
9/29/23FIVBElite16 Paris Pool C Cottafava/Nicolai 6 Bassereau/Lyneel 11 21-13, 21-18 0:31
4/27/23FIVBElite16 Uberlândia Pool A Cottafava/Nicolai 9 Bassereau/Lyneel 16, Q8 21-17, 23-21 0:37
Lead the series against # 39 Taovato/Tipjan, Thailand 1-0
7/14/23FIVBChallenge Portugal Pool F Cottafava/Nicolai 7 Taovato/Tipjan 18, Q4 21-12, 21-11 0:26
Lead the series against # 41 Barajas/Cruz, Mexico 1-0
10/6/23FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Pool H Cottafava/Nicolai 8 Barajas/Cruz 41 21-9, 21-11 0:31
Trail the series against # 43 Aravena/Droguett, Chile 0-1
3/18/22FIVBTlaxcala Challenge Winner 1 Aravena/Droguett 21, Q13 Cottafava/Nicolai 14 21-17, 21-18 0:35
Lead the series against # 45 Budinger/Evans, United States 1-0
6/16/23FIVBChallenge Jurmala Pool C Cottafava/Nicolai 3 Budinger/Evans 10 17-21, 21-17, 15-10 0:46