The University of Trieste will award an honorary Master’s Degree in Psychology to Julio Velasco, the coach who revolutionized the history of Italian volleyball and who last year led the Italian women’s national team to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

The ceremony will take place on Monday, May 12, starting at 11:00 AM in the Great Hall (Aula Magna) of the University.

Velasco, known as “Il Maestro” (The Master), has stood out as one of the most innovative and influential figures in the national and international sports scene over the last four decades, redefining how individual and collective potential is nurtured and expressed.

After early successes in Argentina and winning national championships with Modena, Julio Velasco led Italy’s men’s national team—known as the “Generation of Phenomena”—to international fame starting in the late 1980s, stacking victory upon victory and trophy upon trophy to join the global volleyball elite. Throughout his coaching career, he has led various national teams, becoming the first volleyball coach to win titles with national teams from three different continents.

Born in La Plata, Velasco has been a pioneer in applying sports psychology principles to training sessions, emphasizing the importance of mental strength as a key complement to physical and technical preparation.

This academic recognition is promoted by the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Trieste, where the Sport Psychology Lab has been active for 25 years.

Admission to the Aula Magna is free while seats last.

The event will also be live-streamed on UniTS's official YouTube channel.

View the full programme