The Volleyball 2020–21 V.League Division 1 Women's is the 27th volleyball tournament year and the 3rd top level women's volleyball tournament of the newly branded and reorganized V.League (Japan). It is held from October 17, 2020 – February 21, 2021.
On August 4, 2020 the V.League Organization announced measures it has implemented to safeguard athletes, visitors, and related parties against the new coronavirus. Venues will be limited to 50% capacity and divided into three zones: Zone 1: Competition-related area (athletes, referees, etc.) Zone 2: Tournament management staff & press-related area Zone 3: Customer area Visitors will have their body temperature taken before entering and are prohibited from certain forms of support such as loud cheering, using thundersticks, and high-fiving.
The V. League Division 1 Women's V Cup will be held from February 27, 2021 to March 28, 2021. All twelve teams will participate but players who have been invited to the Japan women's national volleyball team will begin early training for the 2021 Olympics and will not participate in the V Cup.
The Empress' Cup Final Round is scheduled for December 11–20, 2020. The Prefecture and Block rounds were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.
The Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Tournament opens in May every year in Osaka and serves as the final competition of the season.
Clubs
Personnel 2020–21 V.League Division 1 Women's Personnel Club Head coach Captain City, Prefecture Colors Main SponsorDenso Airybees Gen Kawakita Fumika Moriya Nishio, Aichi Denso Himeji Victorina Kodai Nakaya Riho Sadakane Himeji, Hyōgo Himeji Victorina Co., Ltd.Hisamitsu Springs Shingo Sakai Mana Toe Tosu, Saga Hisamitsu PharmaceuticalHitachi Rivale Asako Tajimi Maiha Haga Hitachinaka, Ibaraki Hitachi Automotive Systems JT Marvelous Tomoko Yoshihara Mako Kobata Osaka, Hyogo Japan Tobacco Ltd. Kurobe AquaFairies Takaya Maruyama Saki Maruyama Kurobe, Toyama Kurobe AquaFairies NEC Red Rockets Takayuki Kaneko Misaki Yamauchi Kawasaki, Kanagawa NEC Okayama Seagulls Akiyoshi Kawamoto Aimi Kawashima Okayama Okayama Seagulls Co., Ltd. PFU BlueCats Masayasu Sakamoto Ayaka Horiguchi Kanazawa, Ishikawa PFU Limited Saitama Ageo Medics Antônio Marcos Lerbach Akane Yamagishi Ageo, Saitama Ageo Medical Group Toray Arrows Akira Koshiya Ai Kurogo Ōtsu, Shiga Toray Industries Toyota Auto Body Queenseis Haruya Indo Aya Watanabe Kariya, Aichi Toyota Auto Body
Foreign players The number of foreign players is restricted to one per club world wide plus one per club from ASEAN nations.
V.League Division 1 Women's foreign players 2020-21 Team World wide ASEAN Denso Airybees Kathryn Plummer (NORCECA) Himeji Victorina Aliona Martiniuc (CEV) Hisamitsu Springs Foluke Akinradewo (NORCECA) Hitachi Rivale Hannah Tapp (NORCECA) JT Marvelous Andrea Drews (NORCECA) Thatdao Nuekjang (AVC) Kurobe AquaFairies Simone Lee (NORCECA) NEC Red Rockets Neriman Özsoy (CEV) Okayama Seagulls PFU BlueCats Roslandy Acosta (CSV) Hathairat Jarat (AVC) Saitama Ageo Medics Shainah Joseph (NORCECA) Jaja Santiago (AVC) Toray Arrows Jana Kulan (CEV) Toyota Auto Body Queenseis Indre Sorokaite (CEV) Pornpun Guedpard (AVC)
Transfer players
Player Moving from Moving to Tamaki Matsui JWCPE Denso Airybees Mami Yokota Tokai Mermaids Denso Airybees Satomi Fukudome Ryukoku University Denso Airybees Kathryn Plummer Saugella Team Monza Denso Airybees Shiori Aratani NEC Red Rockets Himeji Victorina Akane Shimizu Aichi Gakuin University Himeji Victorina Akiho Matsumoto Tokai Mermaids Himeji Victorina Moeri Hanai NSSU Himeji Victorina Aliona Martiniuc Proton-Saratov Himeji Victorina Chihiro Sasaki TWCPE Himeji Victorina Nana Magota Fukuoka University Himeji Victorina Moe Kiyota Bunkyo Gakuin High School (ja) Himeji Victorina Kano Miyaji Shimokitazawa Seitoku (ja) Himeji Victorina Misaki Inoue Saitama Ageo Medics Hisamitsu Springs Ayaka Araki Higashi Kyushu Ryukoku High School (ja) Hisamitsu Springs Yuka Ikeya NSSU Hisamitsu Springs Akari Shirasawa NIFS Hisamitsu Springs Sarina Sakai Tohoku Fukushi University Hitachi Rivale Rui Nonaka Akita North High School (ja) Hitachi Rivale Saori Kamizawa Furukawa Gakuen High School (ja) Hitachi Rivale Keito Saiga Funabashi High School (ja) Hitachi Rivale Nana Sakakibara Hachiojijissen (ja) JT Marvelous Thatdao Nuekjang Khonkaen Star VC JT Marvelous Yukiko Wada Kyoto Tachibana High School (ja) JT Marvelous Yuka Tateishi Aoyama Gakuin University Kurobe AquaFairies Yuka Kosugi Mukogawa Women's University Kurobe AquaFairies Mayuka Tobe Tohoku Fukushi University Kurobe AquaFairies Hinano Michishita Kobe Shinwa Women's University Kurobe AquaFairies Kasumi Nojima Aoyama Gakuin University NEC Red Rockets Moeka Kinoe University of Tsukuba NEC Red Rockets Minami Yasuda Okazaki Gakuen High School (ja) NEC Red Rockets Neriman Özsoy Toyota Auto Body Queenseis NEC Red Rockets Uran Kido Osaka International Takii High School (ja) Okayama Seagulls Mei Funada Matsuyama Shinonome High School (ja) Okayama Seagulls Kyoka Seto Juntendo University PFU BlueCats Mari Morita JWCPE PFU BlueCats Natsumi Watabiki Kurobe AquaFairies PFU BlueCats Mana Ishikawa TED Ankara PFU BlueCats Hathairat Jarat Khonkaen Star VC PFU BlueCats Roslandy Acosta Itambé/Minas PFU BlueCats Shainah Joseph Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors Saitama Ageo Medics Mami Uchiseto Toyota Auto Body Queenseis Saitama Ageo Medics Hazuki Nakamoto Himeji Victorina Saitama Ageo Medics Hiromi Tagawa Panasonic Bluebells Saitama Ageo Medics Ryo Sakamoto Kyoto Tachibana High School (ja) Toray Arrows Kazane Kumai NSSU Toyota Auto Body Queenseis Saki Inaba Kyushu Bunka Gakuen High School (ja) Toyota Auto Body Queenseis Ayaka Matsumoto Saitama Ageo Medics Toyota Auto Body Queenseis Pornpun Guedpard Khonkaen Star VC Toyota Auto Body Queenseis Indre Sorokaite Imoco Volley Conegliano Toyota Auto Body Queenseis
Stadiums Regular round 2020–2021Adastria Arena, Mito Baycom Gymnasium, Amagasaki (ja) CNA Arena, Akita Fukuoka Citizens Gymnasium Goshogawara Citizen Gymnasium Green Arena, Kobe Hitachinaka Sports Facility (ja)
Kakogawa Municipal Gymnasium Kanazawa City Gymnasium Kitagas Arena, Sapporo (ja) Koriyama Gymnasium Kuki City Gymnasium Kurobe General Sports Center (ja) Matto Park Arena, Hakusan
Nishio City Gymnasium (ja) Ookini Arena, Osaka Ota Ward Gymnasium, Tokyo Saga Sunrise Park Gymnasium Saiden Chemical Arena, Saitama (ja) Shiga Gymnasium, Otsu Shimadzu Arena, Kyoto (ja)
Sky Hall Toyota Sun Arena, Wajima Todoroki Arena, Kawasaki Wing Arena Kariya Wink Gymnasium, Himeji Yokkaichi City Gymnasium Zip Arena, OkayamaFinal Stage 2020–2021 Saitama Prefectural Budokan, Ageo (ja)
Ota Ward Gymnasium, Tokyo
Ikenokawa Sakura Arena, HitachiV Cup 2020–2021Okazaki Park Gymnasium, Okazaki Ota Ward Gymnasium, Tokyo
Saitama Budokan, Ageo (ja) Sanyo Fureai Park, Akaiwa
Shimadzu Arena, Kyoto (ja) Tokorozawa Municipal Gymnasium
Toyama Seibu Sports Center, Tonami Brex Arena, Utsunomiya
Schedule Regular round begins October 17, 2020 (Saturday) and ends February 21, 2021 (Sunday). Matches are played every Saturday and Sunday.
Each team will play twenty-two matches Regular Season is a twelve team double round robin: Round 1: October 17 to November 28, 2020 Round 2: December 4 to February 14, 2021 At the end of the regular round, teams are ranked and divided into three groups of four teams each and will compete in the final stage. Teams are ranked in the regular round by: wins -> points -> set percentage -> scoring rate.
(Group 1) 1st–4th place (Group 2) 5th–8th place (Group 3) 9th–12th place
Final stage will be held the weekend of February 20–21, 2021 (semi-finals and finals for each group)
Saturday, the 1st and 4th ranked team in each group, and the 2nd and 3rd ranked team in each group, will compete Sunday, the winners, and the losers, of Saturday's matches will compete for final league ranking Group 1 is the semi-finals and final of the League Group 2 is jockeying for position (5th–8th) in the final league ranking Group 3 is essentially the Challenge 4. Two losing teams will play the V.Challenge match
V Cup Qualifying round begins February 27, 2021 (Saturday) and ends March 21, 2021 (Sunday)
Teams are divided into two groups Group A: JT Marvelous, Okayama Seagulls, Denso Airybees, Toyota Auto Body Queenseis, Hisamitsu Springs, Himeji Victorina Group B: Saitama Ageo Medics, Toray Arrows, NEC Red Rockets, Hitachi Rivale, Kurobe AquaFairies, PFU BlueCats Each group plays a single round robin Final round will be held the weekend of March 27–28, 2021 Top two teams from each group play a semi-final Winners will play a final match
V.Challenge match (V1-V2 promotion–relegation matches): TBD
Season standing procedure
Many matches were canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan and the number of completed matches varied from team to team so the season standing procedure was changed from "number of matches won" to win rate percentage.
Tie breakers are as follows: If two or more teams have the same winning percentage, the team with the highest set rate will be ranked higher. If the set rate is also the same, the team with the highest scoring rate will be ranked higher. If the score rate is also the same, the teams are calculated and the top ranks are decided in the order of win rate, set rate, and score rate.
Regular round
Final standing Final ranking: 1st–4th place participation Final ranking: 5th–8th place participation Final ranking: 9th–12th place participation
2020–21 V.League Division 1 Women's Regular round Final Standing Rank Team Wins Losses Win Rate Sets Won Sets Lost Set Rate1Toray Arrows210100.0063115.732JT Marvelous16480.0052212.483NEC Red Rockets15575.0050232.174Denso Airybees12763.2044321.385Saitama Ageo Medics12860.0041311.326Okayama Seagulls111052.4039400.977Hisamitsu Springs101147.6040391.038Hitachi Rivale61528.6028530.539Toyota Auto Body Queenseis61528.6024480.5010PFU BlueCats41323.5018430.4211Kurobe AquaFairies41620.0024520.4612Himeji Victorina41719.0026560.46
Individual awards
2020–21 V.League Division 1 Women's Regular round Individual Awards Award Player Team Achievement # of TimesTop ScorerJana KulanToray Arrows436 Total Points2nd TimeSpike AwardHaruyo ShimamuraNEC Red Rockets51.7% Kill Rate1st TimeBlock AwardFoluke AkinradewoErika ArakiHisamitsu SpringsToyota Auto Body Queenseis0.81 Blocks/set2nd Time2nd TimeServe AwardMisaki YamauchiNEC Red Rockets15.6% Serve Effect Rate1st TimeReceive AwardMako KobataJT Marvelous68.3% Reception Rate1st Time
Match results
Round 1 Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Round 2 Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Final stage
Final ranking matches: 1st to 4th place held on February 20 and 21, 2021 at Ota Ward Gymnasium, Tokyo.
Match results
Final ranking matches: 5th-8th held on February 20 and 21, 2021 at Saitama Budokan, Ageo (ja).
Match results
Final ranking matches: 9th-12th held on February 20 and 21, 2021, in a remote match at Ikenokawa Sakura Arena, Hitachi.
Match results
Final standing
RankClubJT MarvelousToray Arrows NEC Red Rockets4Denso Airybees5Saitama Ageo Medics6Okayama Seagulls7Hitachi Rivale8Hisamitsu Springs9PFU BlueCats10Himeji Victorina11Toyota Auto Body Queenseis12 Kurobe AquaFairies Qualified for the 2021 Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship
2020–21 V.League Division 1 Women's ChampionsJT Marvelous Team rosterSetter: Aki Momii, Mika Shibata Libero: Mako Kobata, Tomoyo Fukagaya MB: Aika Akutagawa, Anna Ogawa, Thatdao Nuekjang, Risa Hashimoto, Sakura Kanda, Nana Sakakibara, Marina Takahashi OP: Andrea Drews OH: Hickman Jahstice, Kotona Hayashi, Mizuki Tanaka, Yuka Meguro, Yuka Kutsui, Yuki Nishikawa, Yukiko WadaHead Coach: Tomoko Yoshihara
Awards
Regular round
Best scorer Jana Kulan (Toray Arrows) Best spiker Haruyo Shimamura (NEC Red Rockets) Best blocker Foluke Akinradewo (Hisamitsu Springs) Erika Araki (Toyota Auto Body Queenseis)