South Korea’s U-21 Volleyball Teams Set to Battle World’s Best, Eye First Round of 16 in 14 Years

South Korea’s men’s and women’s national U-21 volleyball teams are gearing up for fierce competition at this year’s World Championships, with the women’s team vying for their first round of 16 berth in 14 years.

The women’s U-21 squad, under Head Coach Jeong Jin, will compete in Surabaya, Indonesia from August 7 to 17. The roster boasts a strengthened lineup, including middle blocker Kim Sae-bin and setter Kim Da-eun, both from Korea Expressway Corporation with FIVB Volleyball Nations League experience, along with outside hitter Lee Joo-a from GS Caltex.

The women’s team departed for Indonesia two days in advance for on-site acclimatization training, supported by Park Mi-hee, the Korea Volleyball Association’s Director of Women’s Performance Improvement, who is accompanying the players. South Korea is grouped in Pool B, where they will face the United States, the Dominican Republic, Croatia, Mexico, and China. Competition will kick off on August 7 against the United States, as the squad sets its sights on reaching the round of 16, a feat last achieved in 2011.

Currently ranked 22nd in the world, South Korea faces tough opponents in pool play: the United States (6th), China (1st), Mexico (9th) and the Dominican Republic (13th) all rank above Korea, while Croatia (31st) is ranked below. The tournament features 24 nations divided into four pools, with the top four teams from each pool advancing to the knockout stage.

On the men’s side, the U-21 national team will compete at the World Championship in Jiangmen, China, from September 21 to 31. Led by Head Coach Seok Jin-uk, the squad includes seasoned attacker Lee Woo-jin, a former member of the senior national team and a recent player for Italy’s Monza club, as well as up-and-coming prospect Yoon Kyung from Inha University, who boasts Summer Universiade experience. In addition, several core players from the squad that claimed bronze at the 2023 U-19 World Championship in Argentina, securing South Korea’s first medal in 30 years, will take part.

The men’s team, ranked joint 15th globally, has been placed in Pool B, where they will face Poland, Iran, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Kazakhstan. Although ranked lower than Iran (1st), Poland (6th), and Canada (9th), South Korea holds a higher position than Puerto Rico (20th) and Kazakhstan (26th). Additional talent comes from pros such as outside hitter Yoon Ha-joon of Korea Electric Power Corporation, Yoon Seo-jin of KB Insurance, and setter Kim Gwan-woo of Korean Air.

The men’s team will depart for China on September 18, playing their opening group match against Canada on September 21. Their goal is to break past the round of 16 and reach the semifinals.

South Korea’s U-21 men’s and women’s volleyball teams are both poised to deliver impressive results on the world stage, with the women competing in Indonesia and the men in China.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=Yonhap News