Rising stars Mega and Srithong look for a second year in the V League
![From left: Outside hitter Tokoku Reina, outside hitter Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi, outside hitter Wipawee Srithong, opposite spiker Thanacha Sooksod, setter Pornpun Guedpard, setter Iris Tolenada and middle blocker Mar-Jana Phillips pose for a photo during a media day at Hotel Riviera in southern Seoul on Oct. 12, 2023. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/04/16/53455b70-a4af-4bcd-8feb-1ca7d623d690.jpg)
From left: Outside hitter Tokoku Reina, outside hitter Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi, outside hitter Wipawee Srithong, opposite spiker Thanacha Sooksod, setter Pornpun Guedpard, setter Iris Tolenada and middle blocker Mar-Jana Phillips pose for a photo during a media day at Hotel Riviera in southern Seoul on Oct. 12, 2023. [NEWS1]
Six of the seven Asia Quota picks in the women’s V League from last season have rejoined the expanded Asia Quota draft for the 2024-25 season, the Korea Volleyball Federation announced Monday.
The Asia Quota is a system adopted ahead of the 2023-24 season through which the seven teams in the V League can recruit an additional foreign player provided they are from selected Asian countries.
A total of 36 players have joined this year’s draft. The qualifying nationalities have been increased from 10 countries last year to all 64 members of the Asian Volleyball Confederation excluding Korea, which includes 20 countries and territories in Oceania.
The system proved to be a success during the 2023-24 campaign, with Indonesian outside hitter Megawati Hangestri Pertiwi having emerged as one of the league's stars in a key attacking role at the Daejeon Jung Kwan Jang Red Sparks and Thai outside hitter Wipawee Srithong having reinforced Suwon Hyundai Engineering & Construction Hillstate’s attack that saw the team win both the league and championship for the first time in 13 years.
The two have rejoined this year’s draft alongside four other picks from last season: Former Gwangju Pepper Savings Bank AI Peppers middle blocker Mar-Jana Phillips from the Philippines, former Hwaseong IBK Altos setter Pornpun Guedpard from Thailand, former Gimcheon Korea Expressway Hi-Pass opposite spiker Thanacha Sooksod from Thailand and former GS Caltex Seoul Kixx outside hitter Darin Pinsuwan from Thailand.
Japanese outside hitter Tokoku Reina, who played for the Heungkuk Life Insurance Pink Spiders last season, is the only name missing from last season’s picks.
The picks from last season could join different V League teams for the 2024-25 campaign, as the bottom three teams from last season will pick players first before top four teams do. Players have to rejoin the draft each year, they cannot be re-signed by their existing club at the end of the season.
The 30 players who newly joined the draft this year include 13 middle blockers, eight outside hitters, five setters, three opposite hitters and one libero.
Chinese middle blocker Yu Zhang, who reportedly drew interests from multiple teams during a preference survey, is also on the list.
Asia Quota picks in the women’s V League will receive a pay raise starting this season, with first-year players earning $120,000 — $20,000 more than last year — and second-year players making $150,000.
The women’s V League Asia Quota draft will take place at Jeju Sun Hotel & Casino in Jeju from April 29 to May 1.
The candidates will first play three practice games at Halla Gymnasium in Jeju across three days and attend the draft at the hotel on May 1, where the selected players will hold a press conference.
The men’s Asia Quota draft will then take place from May 1 to May 3 at the same venue.
BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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