Victorina Himeji (ヴィクトリーナ姫路) is a women's volleyball team based in Himeji, Japan. The owner of the team is Masayoshi Manabe, former head coach of the Japan women's national volleyball team.[1] The club was founded in 2016.[2][3]

Victorina Himeji
Short nameHimeji
NicknameVictorina
FoundedMarch 14, 2016
Ground Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture,
Japan
Executive Adviser
Head Coach
Japan Yoshie Takeshita
Netherlands Avital Selinger
CaptainMika Shibata
LeagueV.League Division 1
2021-2211th
WebsiteClub home page
Uniforms
Home
Away

Himeji entered the V.League in 2018 playing in V.League Division 2 and won the 2018-2019 season Championship[4] which automatically promoted them to Japan's top level V.League Division 1.

History

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The team registered with the Japan Volleyball association in March 2016. Three months later Yoshie Takeshita was announced as head coach.[5][6] In November 2016 Masayoshi Manabe, who was born in Himeji, was appointed general manager.[7][8]

In July 2017, Himeji announced it would transfer the franchise of bankrupt club Sendai Belle Fille to Himeji Victorina, with a requirement that it take 8 of the players from Sendai Belle Fille and reach contract agreements with them.[9] If successful it would be the first time in Japan that one club team had transferred to another.[10] The team's goal was to enter the V.Challenge League II for the 2017-2018 season. By August 3rd Himeji had reached an agreement with only two Sendai players.[11] On August 10 the V.League announced Himeji had been unable to sign a sufficient number of Sendai players and would not be allowed to participate in the V.Challenge League II 2017-18 season.[12]

In March 2018 the Japanese V.League announced Himeji Victorina will play the 2018–2019 season in the newly organized V.League Division 2[13]

On March 17, 2019, Himeji Victorina defeated JA Gifu Rioreina in straight sets to claim the title of Women's V.League Division 2 Champions.[14] As 2018-2019 V2 Champions they are automatically promoted to play the 2019-2020 season in V.League Division 1.[15]

Masayoshi Manabe is currently the team owner and Kiyoshi Abo is the team's general manager.[16]

Honors

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V.League Division 2
  • Champions (1): 2018-2019
  • Runners-up ():
Emperor's Cup and Empress' Cup All Japan Volleyball Championship
  • Champions (1): 2024

League results

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League Position Teams Matches Win Lose
V.League Division 2 2018-19 Champions 8 18 17 1
V.League Division 1 2019-20 12th 12 21 3 18
2020-21 10th 12 21 4 17
2021-22 11th 12 33 8 25

Current squad

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2024-2025 Squad[17][18][19][20][21]

No. Name Position Date of birth Height (m)
2   Miki Sakurai Setter (1996-05-01) 1 May 1996 (age 28) 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
3   Saki Tanaka Outside Hitter (1996-09-21) 21 September 1996 (age 28) 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
4   Chihiro Sasaki Middle Blocker (1997-11-17) 17 November 1997 (age 27) 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
5   Mika Shibata (C) Setter (1994-06-07) 7 June 1994 (age 30) 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
6   Mari Morita Libero (1997-09-18) 18 September 1997 (age 27) 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
7   Minja Osmajić Middle Blocker (2003-02-12) 12 February 2003 (age 21) 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
8   Akiho Matsumoto Outside Hitter (1997-06-29) 29 June 1997 (age 27) 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
9   Kaya Watanabe Outside Hitter (1998-06-09) 9 June 1998 (age 26) 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
10   Arisa Inoue Outside Hitter (1995-05-08) 8 May 1995 (age 29) 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
11   Airi Miyabe Outside Hitter (1998-07-29) 29 July 1998 (age 26) 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
12   Karen Moriki Setter (1999-09-11) 11 September 1999 (age 25) 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
13   Mao Ito Middle Blocker (2000-06-23) 23 June 2000 (age 24) 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
14   Runa Adachi Middle Blocker (2000-11-03) 3 November 2000 (age 24) 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
15   Asuka Nozu Outside Hitter (2000-05-23) 23 May 2000 (age 24) 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
16   Mana Yoshida Libero (2001-02-01) 1 February 2001 (age 23) 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
18   Ana Luiza Rüdiger Outside Hitter (2003-01-02) 2 January 2003 (age 21) 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
19   Chatchu-on Moksri Outside Hitter (1999-11-06) 6 November 1999 (age 25) 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)

Former players

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References

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  1. ^ "Players Staff". VICTORINA OFFICIAL WEBSITE. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Women's volleyball, "Victorina Himeji" and Olympic athletes "Victorina Dreams" launched". FPhime Business news. FPhime. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  3. ^ "Support Japan's first professional volleyball team "Victorina Himeji"". Corporate Information News Release. Glory Group. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  4. ^ "2018-19 V.LEAGUE DIVISION2 WOMEN Final stage Final 6 Final Result Announcement". V.League Japan Official Web Site. Japan Volleyball League Organization. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  5. ^ "Launch of Yoshie Takeshita as Victorina Himwji Head Coach". Kobe newspaper NEXT. 神戸新聞社. Archived from the original on 2017-08-01. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Victorina Himeji and Olympic Athletes Debut". FPhime. FPhime (Efupi Heim). Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Victorina Himeji GM appointed". Sankei News. Sankei News. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Mr. Volleyball Manabe Victorina Himeji GM". Kobe Newspaper NEXT. Next News. Archived from the original on 2017-08-01. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  9. ^ "Japan: Victorina Himeji Cannot Play in V-League 17-18". Uprising Sports. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  10. ^ "Victorina Buys Its Way Into 2nd Division". Volley Mob. 2017-08-07. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  11. ^ "Arisa Sato joins new club Ligare Sendai". Volley Mob. 2018-08-10. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  12. ^ "Victorina Himeji Cannot Play in V-League 17-18". Volley Mob. 2017-08-13. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  13. ^ "Japan Women's V.LEAGUE announces 18-19 League Teams". Volley Mob. 2018-03-24. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  14. ^ "2018-19 V.LEAGUE DIVISION2 WOMEN Final stage Final 6 Final Result Announcement". V.League Japan Official Web Site. Japan Volleyball League Organization. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  15. ^ "ヴィクトリーナ姫路がV1昇格 V2優勝". Kobe newspaper NEXT. Kobe Shimbun All. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  16. ^ "Players Staff - Victorina Himeji". VICTORINA OFFICIAL WEBSITE. Himeji Victorina. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  17. ^ "Victorina Himeji Players List". V.League Official Site. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  18. ^ "Players and Staff". Victorina Official Web Site. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  19. ^ "Announcement of the 2019 fiscal year prospective players". Victorina Official Website. Himeji Victorina. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  20. ^ "Himeji Victorina - Japan V.League Women". Japan Women's Indoor Volleyball. sitenoise.com. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  21. ^ "Transfer Announcement - Registration Addition List". JVL Official Web site. Japan Volleyball League. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  22. ^ "Resigning of-retired players News". Victorina Himeji Official Site. Himeji Victorina. 24 April 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  23. ^ "Announcement of leaving players in 2019". Himeji Victorina Official Web Site. Himeji Victorina Co., Ltd. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  24. ^ "2019-20 season retired player announcement". Himeji Victorina Official Web Site. Himeji Victorina Co., Ltd. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
  25. ^ "Victorina Himeji 2020-21 new season announcement". Himeji Victorina Official Web Site. Himeji Victorina Co., Ltd. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
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