There are several months left until the opening of the new season of women’s professional volleyball, which has just ended, but one fact seems clear. Unlike before, the ‘absolute underdog’ has disappeared.
The women’s FA market is more lively than ever. As the successive transfers of the big fishes are completed, the strength of each team is also fluctuating.
What really stands out is the bold investment by the youngest team, Pepper Savings Bank.
Pepper Savings Bank only had 3 wins, 28 losses and 11 points in the 2021-2022 season, the first year of entering the V-League, and stayed at 5 wins, 31 losses and 14 points last season.
Pepper Savings Bank, which experienced the ‘wall’ of existing clubs, brought Park Jung-ah, a ‘special striker’, to the upper limit of the women’s pay of 775 million won in this FA market.
The joining of Park Jung-ah, who performed well in a decisive situation enough to be called ‘Clutch Park’, is evaluated as sufficient to escape스포츠토토 Pepper Savings Bank from ‘lower power’ at once.
Not stopping here, Pepper Savings Bank recruited Chae Seon-ah, and also captured internal free agents Lee Han-bi and Oh Ji-young. Pepper Savings Bank, which signed a contract with four free agents, is now able to form a composition of players that the opposing team cannot easily see.
GS Caltex solved the problem of middle blockers by recruiting veteran Jeong Dae-young. Jeong Dae-young, who ranked third in blocking last season (0.769), is expected to be a great help to GS Caltex’s ‘height’.
IBK Industrial Bank, which finished 6th last season, also recruited Hwang Min-kyung to set a new record. IBK Industrial Bank drew a sketch of a more solid team, saying, “Hwang Min-kyung is the right person to make up for the lacking parts of the team with stable receiving and bold attack power.”
It’s not just teams that have succeeded in reinforcing their strength.
The ‘champion’ Korea Expressway Corporation went through two breakups this spring.
As Park Jung-ah and Jeong Dae-young, the main players of the championship, parted ways in turn, weakening power became inevitable. Bae Yoo-na, Moon Jeong-won, and Jeon Sae-yan were caught, but how to fill the gap left by Park Jung-ah and Jeong Dae-young remained a big task.
On the other hand, Heungkuk Life Insurance, who was hit by Korea Expressway Corporation in the championship match and won 2 wins first, but suffered 3 losses and stayed in runner-up, became a ‘winner’ in the FA market.
Heungkuk Life Insurance prevented a power outflow by catching Kim Yeon-kyung, who obtained the FA qualification for the first time in his life, and seated him. Considering Kim Yeon-kyung’s presence on and off the court, a contract with internal free agent Kim Yeon-kyung can be a great help to Heungkuk Life Insurance.
In addition, he also embraced veteran middle blocker Kim Su-ji to further strengthen his power.
Hyundai E&C, which competed with Heungkuk Life Insurance for Kim Yeon-kyung, has missed Hwang Min-kyung and is closer to the side where there is no factor to increase power so far.