Bia Mantellato to join Ekipe Orizzonte

Brazilian center Bia Mantellato is understood to be close to joining Italian giants Ekipe Orizzonte ahead of the 2026–27 season, in what could become one of the most intriguing transfers of the summer.

While nothing has yet been officially signed or announced, multiple indications suggest the Brazilian-born star is strongly considering a move to Italy following the end of her NCAA career with UCLA Bruins.

Mantellato, one of the most dominant centers in American collegiate water polo over the past four seasons, would represent a major addition for Orizzonte as the Italian champions continue to build a squad capable of competing for European honours.

The São Paulo native arrives with an outstanding résumé. Across spells with both Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine and UCLA, Mantellato established herself as one of the most feared offensive players in the NCAA. She was a finalist for the prestigious Cutino Award in 2024, earned multiple ACWPC All-American selections, and twice won Big West Player of the Year during her time at Hawai’i.

Her numbers speak for themselves. In 2023, she exploded onto the collegiate scene with 82 goals in 27 games, including several huge scoring performances and a remarkable shooting percentage above 54 percent. She followed that with another 64-goal season in 2024 before transferring to UCLA, where she continued to produce at an elite level against the strongest opposition in the country.

A physically imposing center with strong movement at two metres, Mantellato has built a reputation for drawing exclusions, finishing under pressure, and consistently dominating defenders in front of goal. Her arrival would give Orizzonte another high-level option at center as the club looks to remain at the top of Italian water polo while pushing deeper into the Champions League.

The move would also have international implications.

Despite representing Brazil previously and being born in São Paulo, Mantellato is expected to become eligible for the Italian national team setup in the future. The situation is understood to be similar to that of fellow Brazilian-born player Izabella Chiappini, who now represents Italy internationally while playing for SIS Roma.

That possibility could make Mantellato an especially attractive long-term investment for Italian clubs, given both her age and potential ceiling at senior international level.

Before her NCAA success, Mantellato spent years developing in Brazil with Clube Paineras and Esporte Clube Pinheiros, while also representing the Brazilian national team between 2017 and 2022. Water polo clearly runs in the family. Her sister, Gabriela Mantellato, competed for Brazil at the 2016 Olympic Games, while another sister, Mariana, represents Brazil internationally in volleyball.

For Orizzonte, the rumoured signing would continue a trend of recruiting internationally proven talent with high-level athletic pedigree and strong long-term upside.

As always with transfer discussions, nothing is final until contracts are signed and officially confirmed, but all signs currently point toward Bea Mantellato beginning the next chapter of her career in Italy with Ekipe Orizzonte.

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