Japan - V.Premier League 2014-2015

    Hisamitsu Springs
    Okayama Seagulls
    Toray Arrows
    Toyota Auto Body Queenseis
    NEC Red Rockets
    Hitachi Rivale
    Denso Airybees - from V.Challenge League
    Ageo Medics - from V.Challenge League


    JT Marvelous was relegated to V.Challenge League losing the challenge match against Ageo Medics, the same for Pioneer Red Wings losing against Denso Airybees. Pioneer Red Wings closed (so sad, because the club was traditional in japanise volleyball).


    Foreigners:


    Hisamitsu Springs: ?
    Okayama Seagulls: no one (usually the club plays only with local players)
    Toray Arrows: ?
    Toyota Auto Body Queenseis: Kanani Danielson
    NEC Red Rockets: Yeliz Askan Başa
    Hitachi Rivale: Lauren Paolini
    Denso Airybees: Mia Jerkov
    Ageo Medics: Kelly Murphy


    In V.Challenge League JT Marvelous signed Onuma Sittirak to try to come back to V.Premier League.


    Rosters as soon as possible. There is a huge number of retirements (most of all because Pioneer Red Wings disappared and the players which belonged to the club retired instead of looking for a new team. Yukiko Ebata left Hitachi Rivale to play abroad in Racing Club the Cannes. And there are some intresting moves and very important coming backs like Saori Kimura and Erika Araki.

    Hisamitsu Springs


    Roster:


    01 - Miyu Nagaoka - OH/OP
    02 - Chizuru Koto - S
    03 - Risa Shinnabe - OH
    04 - Nana Iwasaka - MB
    05 - Yumi Mizuta - MB
    06 - Yuki Ishii - OH
    08 - Rika Nomoto - OH
    10 - Kotoki Zayasu - L
    11 - Maiko Kano - S
    12 - Mizuki Minami - S
    13 - Shiori Murata - OH
    14 - Fumika Moriya - MB
    15 - Misaki Handa - MB
    16 - Kanae Yoshimaru - MB
    17 - Miku Nanba - OH
    18 - Mana Toe - L
    20 - Sayaka Tsutsui - L
    23 - Risa Ishibashi - MB
    24 - Ayano Nakaoji - S


    Head Coach: Kumi Nakada


    Coming:


    - Fumika Moriya - MB - Pioneer Red Wings
    - Ayano Nakaoji - S - NIFS


    Leaving:


    - Mihoko Tsutsui - OH - Retirement
    - Kanako Hirai - MB - Retirement :white: ;(
    - Cibele Barboza - OH - Pinheiros
    - Mizuho Ishida - OH - Denso Airybees

    Okayama Seagulls


    Roster:


    01 - Minami Yoshida - WS
    02 - Mai Yamaguchi - MB
    03 - Kanako Konno - WS
    04 - Rika Seki - MB
    05 - Mai Fukuda - WS
    06 - Yuko Asazu - WS
    07 - Moe Sasaki - WS
    08 - Aki Kawabata - WS
    09 - Mai Takeda - MB
    11 - Akiko Kono - MB
    14 - Haruka Miyashita - S
    15 - Sakura Kumagai - S
    16 - Kana Yamakawa - L
    18 - Junko Kanamori - L
    19 - Aki Kurokawa - WS
    20 - Aki Maruyama - L
    22 - Rina Urabe - MB
    27 - Yuka Morita - S
    28 - Aimi Kawashima - MB


    Head Coach: Akiyoshi Kawamoto


    Coming:


    - Kanako Konno - WS - Pioneer Red Wings
    - Yuko Asazu - WS - Pioneer Red Wings
    - Akiko Kono - MB - Pioneer Red Wings
    - Sakura Kumagai - S - ?
    - Kana Yamakawa - L - ?


    Leaving:


    - Yuki Sasaki - WS - Retirement
    - Natsumi Horiguchi - S - Retirement
    - Megumi Kurihara - Hitachi Rivale
    - Natumi Murata - WS - Retirement
    - Midori Kitamura - S - Retirement
    - Arisa Kobayashi - MB - Retirement

    Toray Arrows


    Roster:


    01 - Hitomi Nakamichi - S
    02 - Arisa Takada - WS
    03 - Saori Kimura - WS
    04 - Saori Sakoda - WS/OP
    05 - Kaori Kodaira - WS
    06 - Saki Minemura - WS
    07 - Kanami Tashiro - S
    08 - Misato Kimura - L
    09 - Mari Horikawa - WS
    10 - Azusa Futami - MB
    11 - Kaho Ono - WS
    12 - Kana Shimohira - S
    13 - Asuka Nomura - WS
    14 - Yuki Mori - MB
    15 - Nozomi Itoh - MB
    16 - Wakaba Sugihara - WS
    17 - Kaho Fujimoto - L
    18 - Yukina Hayashi - MB


    Head coach: Koichiro Kanno


    Coming:


    - Saori Kimura - WS - Galatasaray
    - Yukina Hayashi - MB - Seitokugakuen High School


    Leaving:


    - Yukari Miyata - MB - Retirement
    - Yonkaira Peña - OH - ?

    Toyota Auto Body Queenseis


    Roster:


    01 - Saki Takeda - WS
    03 - Kaori Nakamura - L
    04 - Natsumi Fujita - S
    05 - Miyuki Hiramatsu - MB
    06 - Tomomi Eto - MB
    07 - Yu Higuma - S
    08 - Rika Kawashima - WS
    10 - Ikumi Nishibori - S
    12 - Mari Yamada - OP
    13 - Yuki Shoji - MB
    14 - Aki Fujiwara - WS
    17 - Aya Takeuchi - OP
    18 - Hina Kumamoto - WS
    23 - Kanani Danielson - WS
    ??? - Saori Takahashi - WS


    Head Coach: Masayuki Izumikawa


    Coming:


    - Kaori Nakamura - L - Inactivity
    - Yuki Shoji - MB - Wiesbaden
    - Hina Kumamoto - WS - Ryukoku High School
    - Saori Takahashi - WS - Hitachi Rivale


    Leaving:


    - Yoshiko Yano - MB - PFU BlueCats
    - Yoko Yamamoto - MB - ?
    - Kasumi Takamoto - WS - Ohno-group Hiroshima Oilers
    - Emi Hoshino - MB - ?
    - Yukiji Kajiwara - L - Retirement
    - Sakie Takahashi - L - Retirement
    - Seiko Kawamura - S - Retirement
    - Yuki Yamada - OP - ?
    - Ayako Sana - WS - Retirement

    NEC Red Rockets


    Roster:


    01 - Miki Yahata - WS
    03 - Yeliz Askan Başa - OP
    05 - Kaname Yamaguchi - S
    06 - Akari Oumi - WS
    07 - Miyuki Akiyama - S
    08 - Haruyo Shimamura - MB
    09 - Risa Shiragaki - WS
    10 - Sayaka Iwasaki - L
    12 - Saori Kaneko - WS
    13 - Kana Ono - MB
    14 - Miku Torigoe - L
    15 - Mika Matsuzaki - MB
    16 - Kaori Ueno - MB
    17 - Ayana Oyama - WS
    19 - Naoko Yataka - MB
    20 - Nami Sagawa - OP
    21 - Mizuki Yanagita - WS
    22 - Yuna Okuyama - S


    Head Coach: Akinori Yamada


    Coming:


    - Kaname Yamaguchi - S - JT Marvelous
    - Nami Sagawa - OP - Kyoei Gakuen High School
    - Yeliz Askan Başa - OP - Hyundai Hillstate


    Leaving:


    - Yumiko Tsuzuki - WS - Retirement
    - Akiko Uchida - WS - Retirement
    - Makoto Matsuura - S - Retirement
    - Miho Watanabe - S - Retirement
    - Hana Čutura - WS - Impel Wrocław

    Hitachi Rivale


    Roster:


    01 - Ayaka Hosokawa - S
    02 - Marie Wada - MB
    03 - Nanami Inoue - MB
    05 - Arisa Sato - L
    06 - Mai Hikichi - MB
    07 - Lauren Paolini - MB
    08 - Miya Sato - S
    10 - Mami Uchiseto - WS
    11 - Megumi Kurihara - WS
    12 - Moemi Toi - WS
    13 - Sae Ishida - MB
    14 - Mirei Sasaki - L
    15 - Rin Kawamura - WS
    16 - Eri Higashihara - MB
    17 - An Saita - L
    18 - Haruka Iseki - L
    19 - Sayaka Nagano - WS
    20 - Ryoko Atago - WS


    Head Coach: Akihiko Matsuda


    Coming:


    - Nanami Inoue - MB - Denso Airybees
    - Megumi Kurihara - WS - Okayama Seagulls
    - Eri Higashihara - MB - Osaka International University
    - Ryoko Atago - WS - Pioneer Red Wings


    Leaving:


    - Monoka Minami - MB - Retirement
    - Yukiko Ebata - WS - Cannes
    - Yukino Nagamatsu - Retirement
    - Saori Takahashi - WS - Toyota Auto Body Queenseis

    Denso Airybees


    Roster:


    03 - Riho Otake - MB
    04 - Suzuka Hashimoto - WS
    05 - Yūko Sano - L
    06 - Yuko Suzuki - S
    07 - Yurie Nabeya - WS
    08 - Kaori Inoue - MB
    09 - Aya Horie - WS
    10 - Mika Yamada - WS
    12 - Miku Izuoka - WS
    15 - Mio Mirumoto - MB
    16 - Risa Ishii - WS
    17 - Omiya Satomi - WS
    18 - Erika Sakae - S
    20 - Saki Mashiba - L
    24 - Madoka Ishisaka - WS
    ??? - Mizuho Ishida - WS


    Head coach: Hiroyuki Yamaguchi


    Coming:


    - Mio Mirumoto - MB - Hyogo High School
    - Mizuho Ishida - WS Hisamitsu Springs


    Leaving:


    - Indre Sorokaite - WS/OP - Piacenza
    - Nanami Inoue - MB - Hitachi Rivale
    - Ayana Kijima - MB - ?
    - Yuruka Eguchi - L - ?
    - Saki Kagawa - MB - ?

    Ageo Medics


    Roster:


    01 - Nozomi Tsuchida - S
    02 - Sachiko Higasitani - WS
    03 - Shiho Yoshimura - WS
    04 - Shiho Kondo - WS
    05 - Eri Takeda - WS
    06 - Saori Arita - WS
    07 - Akane Yamagishi - L
    08 - Mai Seki - L
    09 - Mami Miura - MB
    10 - Yoshika Okamoto - MB
    11 - Kyoko Aoyagi - WS
    12 - Erika Araki - MB
    13 - Shiori Ouchi - S
    16 - Asuka Minamoto - WS
    17 - Natsuko Ozasa - WS
    18 - Miku Benoki - WS
    19 - Yuki Araki - WS
    20 - Yuko Maruyama - MB
    22 - Yukiko Saikusa - MB
    23 - Risa Omuro - L
    24 - Koyomi Tominaga - S
    ??? - Kelly Murphy - OP


    Head Coach: Toshiaki Yoshida


    Coming:


    - Saori Arita - WS - Inactivity
    - Erika Araki - MB - Inactivity
    - Miku Benoki - WS - Seitoku Gakuen High School
    - Yuki Araki - WS - Pioneer Red Wings
    - Koyomi Tominaga - S - Pioneer Red Wings
    - Kelly Murphy - OP - Novara


    Leaving:


    - Nancy Meendering Metcalf - OP

    Quote from Ryu Takamiya

    Great job, ravens#7 :thumbsup:


    1. Hitachi Rivale signed Lauren Paolini
    (Source:the comment of her instagram)


    2.Denso Airybees signed Mia Jerkov
    (Source:http://www.denso-airybees.jp/2…81%84%E3%81%A6-2014-6-10/)



    Thanks! I knew about Paolini, but I wasn't sure she was officially confirmed. The same for Jerkov. Nice to know they are both officially there.

    Good job :flower: - some intersting moves. Great to see Saori back in Japan, meanwhile I'm sorry that Kanako Hirai retired ;(

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

    Quote from kondzio

    Good job :flower: - some intersting moves. Great to see Saori back in Japan, meanwhile I'm sorry that Kanako Hirai retired ;(

    Honestly, I'm surprised Hirai was able to still play from 2012 to 2013. As far as I know, she was in JPN NT as of 2006 under Yanagimoto, under whose reign caused some early retirement of several players like Kana Oyama and Yuka Sakurai. I'm also astonished (and glad) that Saori and Yuko Sano made it out relatively injury-free.

    Well, I knew that Yanagimoto used really tough training which caused some of injuries and those like Oyama were victims, anyway I didn't knew that Hirai was a part of NT :what: those times they had so mnay good MBs and sometimes Yanagimoto used even 5 of them in match 12 :wavy: Araki, Sugiyama, Tajimi, Omura and Shoji were those, now all aren't in NT, so there was so tough to replace one of these. And I didn't see Hirai on any FIVB lists ;(


    Japan had so many good MBs and now they use only 2 real - Ohno with Yamaguchi (though the second one is also OH/OP :wavy: )


    Iwasaka, Kawashima, Otake, Shimamura, Hiramatsu, Okumura or Seki can be tried :wavy: I hope that Araki and Inoue can be back :roll:

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

    Quote from kondzio

    Well, I knew that Yanagimoto used really tough training which caused some of injuries and those like Oyama were victims, anyway I didn't knew that Hirai was a part of NT :what: those times they had so mnay good MBs and sometimes Yanagimoto used even 5 of them in match 12 :wavy: Araki, Sugiyama, Tajimi, Omura and Shoji were those, now all aren't in NT, so there was so tough to replace one of these. And I didn't see Hirai on any FIVB lists ;(


    Japan had so many good MBs and now they use only 2 real - Ohno with Yamaguchi (though the second one is also OH/OP :wavy: )


    Iwasaka, Kawashima, Otake, Shimamura, Hiramatsu, Okumura or Seki can be tried :wavy: I hope that Araki and Inoue can be back :roll:

    Araki comeback would be a godsend for this team, although her shape after having a baby can be questionable. If she can be like Ai Otomo who was mother during her 2010-2012 career then she will be good. Inoue after injury seems to have a weaker offensive connection with setters since her injury was her right arm I think (not 100% sure). But I do recall Manabe saying that his reason for using hybrid 6 is to increase offensive production, so I personally hope Iwasaka can train herself to have a better attack as her blocking is already very strong.

    Regular Season will begin November 15, 2014 and end on February 22, 2015


    There will be 21 matches, each of the 8 teams will play 3 matches against the other teams


    The V-League has adopted the 3,2,1,0 win point system for the regular season.


    Tie breakers are as follows for the playoffs called the Final 6
    1. Winning percentage
    2. Sets ratio
    3. Points ratio


    If still tied, then it would be just between those two teams, win points, winning percentage, sets ratio and points ratio.


    Final 6 (quarterfinals) will have the top six teams advance into a one match with the following seeding, 1 vs. 6, 2 vs. 5 and 3 vs. 4, with the winners advancing to the Final 3 (semifinal).


    The team win the best record (regular season) after the Final 6 matches advances directly to the Final Match. The winner of the Final 3 (semifinal) match advances to the Final Match.

    Quote from Dr Organoborane

    Araki is back??!!!! But why did she not sign with her former club Toray?


    Her husband manages a rugby team in the Tokyo area and with Toray being in Shiga prefecture 2.5 hours away even by bullet train, I don't think that would work. Ageo is closer to Tokyo in the Northern suburbs.