Yukiko is from Akita-shi, Akita prefecture. Her parents are volleyball players, she started playing volleyball when she is in her 3rd year in elementary school. She also has an older brother who also played volleyball. When she entered college, she was offered a scholarship by the director of the Holy Spiritual Women's Junior College, in return for playing volleyball for the school. Ebata has said that this was a major turning point for her. She was then attached to the Holy Spiritual Women's Junior College, she was active in the Spring High Valley and Inter - high as captain. In 2008, she was recruited by the Hitachi Rivale professional women's volleyball club team as one of their active wing spikers in 2009-10. In 2010, she was registered as one of the representatives of Japan women's national volleyball team at the 2010 World Grand Prix making her the youngest player in the team. In addition, during the World Championship in October–November of the same year, she scored 24 points for Japan in their second match of the qualifying round against Turkey on November 7, which is also her birthday. The team went on to win the bronze medal, her performance made a big contribution for the team. In June 2011, at the 2011 Montreux Volley Masters, she contributed greatly to her first win with the team against Turkey, due to her great performance, she won the Best Spiker Award in the said tournament. Meanwhile, in the 2011 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup, she contributed to Japan's victory as an ace and at her young age, she leads Japan to a 4th-place finish. In March 2012, she contributed to the victory of Hitachi Rivale in the V. Challenge League, eventually winning the MVP award. In the same year, she participated in the 2012 London Olympic games alongside the Japanese women's volleyball team. She showed great success in her hitting throughout the games and particularly in the quarter-finals against China where she scored her all-time highest with 33 points. Ebata helped earn the team a place in the semi-finals after a 5 set win over China. The Firebird Nippon eventually lost the semi-finals against Brazil, however went on to take the bronze medal match sweeping all 3 sets over South Korea. The Japanese women's volleyball team had earned their first Olympic medal in 28 years since the Los Angeles 1984 bronze medal win. In February 2013, she was appointed as the brand ambasaddress of the local regional bank of Akita. On July 24, 2014, Hitachi Rivale announced the transfer of Ebata to RC Cannes women's professional volleyball club team. The transfer date happened on September 1, 2014. On June 1, 2015, PFU BlueCats of the V Challenge League announced the joining of Ebata on the club. She is currently playing on the team.
Playing Style
As a wing spiker, she mainly plays on the opposite side. She is known for her powerful spike, she is good at processing blocks out and distributing the ball properly. Her signature move is her backrow attack. She said that before attacking a ball, you must first better to decide of such a place in the court of the opposing team where the scene of the reception collapsed for you to have a more successful attack. Yukiko also said that she doesn't like participating in the practice of her team during the service reception and defense so she is often exempt.
