Ayane Kitamado
| Ayane Kitamado | |||||||||||||||
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Full name | Ayane Kitamado | ||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Japanese | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 6 July 2004 Matsue City, Shimane, Japan | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 62 kg (137 lb) | ||||||||||||||
| Spike | 297 cm (117 in) | ||||||||||||||
| Block | 285 cm (112 in) | ||||||||||||||
| Volleyball information | |||||||||||||||
| Position | Outside Hitter / Middle Blocker | ||||||||||||||
| Current club | Saga Hisamitsu Springs | ||||||||||||||
| Number | 30 (national) 3 (club) | ||||||||||||||
| Career | |||||||||||||||
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| National team | |||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Ayane Kitamado (北窓 絢音, Kitamado Ayane; born 6 July 2004) is a Japanese professional volleyball player. She plays in the SV.League for Saga Hisamitsu Springs.
Career
Early Years
In 2022, Kitamado was selected for Japan women's national under-21 volleyball team. She participated in the 2022 Asian Women's U20 Volleyball Championship where the team won the championship.[1][2]
In her final high school year, the team finished as a runner-up in the 75th All Japan High School Championship (Haruko) (ja) after defeated by Furukawa Gakuen High School in a full-set match.[3]
She has been offered to join Hisamitsu Springs for 2022-23 V.League Division 1 Women's.[4] Coach Shingo Sakai highly praised both her offensive and defensive ability. He also noted that she could play not only as a middle blocker but also as an outside hitter or opposite, and she said that she want to determine which position she would suited the best.[3]
Professional Years
She officially joined Hisamitsu Springs after graduating high school in 2023. She made her debut for the team in the 2023 Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship in Vietnam, the team finished in the fifth place.[1] In July the same year, she participated in the V.Summer League and won Fresh Star award. The team finished with a record 5 win 1 loss in six match.[5][6][7] She was then called up to the Japan women's national under-21 volleyball team once again to participated in 2023 FIVB Volleyball Women's U21 World Championship in Mexico, the team finished in the fourth place.[8]
She then made her debut for the V.League in 2023-24 V.League Division 1 Women's.[7]
In 2025, she was selected for Japan women's national volleyball team for the first time.[9]
Award
Individual
- 2022 National High School Athletic Meet - Outstanding Player
- 2023 75th All Japan High School Championship - Outstanding Player
- 2023 V.Summer League - Fresh Star
High School Team
- 2022-23 All Japan High School Championship - - Runner-up, with Seiei High School
Club Team
- 2022-23 Empress' Cup All Japan Championship - - Bronze Medal, with Hisamitsu Springs
- 2022–23 V.League Division 1 Women's - - Bronze Medal, with Hisamitsu Springs
- 2023-24 Kurowashiki Tournament - - Bronze Medal, with Hisamitsu Springs
- 2023-24 Empress' Cup All Japan Championship - - Runner-up, with Hisamitsu Springs
- 2024-25 Empress' Cup All Japan Championship - - Runner-up, with Saga Hisamitsu Springs
- 2024-25 SV.League Women's - - Bronze Medal, with Saga Hisamitsu Springs
National Team
- 2022 Asian Women's U20 Volleyball Championship - - Champion
References
- ^ a b Shimbun, The Nishinippon. "「サーブで狙われても立ち向かっていく」久光期待の18歳新人アタッカー北窓絢音が胸に秘める覚悟【Vリーグ女子】：「おっ！」でつながる地元密着のスポーツ応援メディア 西スポWEB OTTO!". 「おっ！」でつながる地元密着のスポーツ応援メディア 西スポWEB OTTO! (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ "第21回アジアU20（ジュニア）女子選手権大会". 公益財団法人日本バレーボール協会 (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ a b "＜久光スプリングス＞新加入の北窓絢音（誠英高）に酒井新悟監督期待「将来性豊かなユーティリティー選手」 | スポーツ | 佐賀県のニュース". 佐賀新聞 (in Japanese). 11 January 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ "SAGA久光スプリングス". SAGA久光スプリングス (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ "西部大会の優勝はユニバ日本代表！2023 V･サマーリーグ女子西部大会 最終結果 News". SV League/Japan Volleyball League JVL Official website MEN (in Japanese). 2 July 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ Shimbun, The Nishinippon. "久光の18歳アタッカー、北窓絢音がフレッシュスター賞 過去に西村弥菜美ら現日本代表の選手も受賞：「おっ！」でつながる地元密着のスポーツ応援メディア 西スポWEB OTTO!". 「おっ！」でつながる地元密着のスポーツ応援メディア 西スポWEB OTTO! (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ a b Shimbun, The Nishinippon. "木村沙織さん、石井優希さん、古賀紗理那の系譜を継ぐ「守れるアタッカー」 久光の19歳が涙の先に示した可能性：「おっ！」でつながる地元密着のスポーツ応援メディア 西スポWEB OTTO!". 「おっ！」でつながる地元密着のスポーツ応援メディア 西スポWEB OTTO! (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ "第22回世界U21女子選手権大会". 公益財団法人日本バレーボール協会 (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ^ "女子日本代表 2025". 公益財団法人日本バレーボール協会 (in Japanese). 4 March 2026. Retrieved 4 March 2026.