Victorina Himeji


Himeji Victorina is a women's volleyball team based in Himeji, Japan. The team's Head Coach is Yoshie Takeshita, an Olympic and World Championship Bronze medalist and multi-award-winning former setter with the Japan women's national volleyball team. The owner of the team is Masayoshi Manabe, former Head Coach of the Japan women's national volleyball team. The club was founded in 2016.
In its professional debut as a team, playing in V.League Division 2, Himeji Victorina won the 2018-2019 season Championship. Himeji Victorina will play the 2019-2020 season in Japan's top level V.League Division 1.

History

The team registered with the Japan Volleyball association in March 2016. Three months later Yoshie Takeshita was announced as Head Coach. In November 2016 Masayoshi Manabe, who was born in Himeji, was appointed General Manager.
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. If successful it would be the first time in Japan that one club team had transferred to another. 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. 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.
In March 2018 the Japanese V.League announced Himeji Victorina will play the 2018–2019 season in the newly organized V.League Division 2
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. As 2018-2019 V2 Champions they are automatically promoted to play the 2019-2020 season in V.League Division 1.
Masayoshi Manabe is currently the team owner and Kiyoshi Abo is the team's General Manager.

Honors

; V.League Division 2

Current squad

2019-20 Squad as of 28 September - 2019
No.NamePositionDate of birthHeight Weight Spike Block
1 Riho SadakaneOutside Hitter286
2 Miki SakuraiSetter275
3 Outside Hitter288
4 Opposite301
5 Arisa NaganoMiddle Blocker300
6 Outside Hitter293
7 Nao HorigomeSetter260
8 Kyoko KatashitaLibero270
9 Kana YoshiokaMiddle Blocker293
10 Mirei WakitaOutside Hitter280
11 Ivna ColomboOutside Hitter311301
13 Saki TanakaOutside Hitter296
14 Rie TakakiMiddle Blocker290
15 Shuna OmotoMiddle Blocker289
17 Hazuki NakamotoMiddle Blocker287
18 Yurika MizoguchiLibero260
19 Haruka KojimaSetter280
20 Mutsumi YasudaSetter280

Former players