Manami Kojima
| Manami Kojima | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Manami Kojima | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Japanese | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 7 November 1994 Sendai City, Miyagi, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 58 kg (128 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spike | 269 cm (106 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Block | 245 cm (96 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College / University | Aoyama Gakuin University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Volleyball information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Libero | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | LOVB Salt Lake | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 8 (national) 16 (club) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Honours
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manami Kojima (小島 満菜美, Kojima Manami; born 7 November 1994) is a Japanese professional volleyball player. She plays in the League One Volleyball for LOVB Salt Lake.
Career
Early years
Kojima started playing volleyball in the third grade of elementary school. She said that she was invited by a friend. She then attended Funabashi Municipal High School. With the team, she excelled in the national tournament, such as the 2012 Inter-High School Championship. She was also selected as a member of the All-Japan High School Team.[1]
In 2013, she attended Aoyama Gakuin University. She won the Libero Award and Rookie of the Year Award at the Kanto University Division 1 Spring League.[2] She also selected as the member of Japan U20 National Team and participated in 2013 FIVB Volleyball Women's U20 World Championship held in Brno in June. She contributed to the team first runner-up in 28 years and also named as the Best Libero.
She also competed in AVC Eastern Zonal Championship in 2014 and 2016. She also selected for 2015 and 2017 FISU University Games. She performed very well in 2017 FISU held in Taipei where the team won silver medal for the first time in 11 tournaments.
Professional years
On December 26, 2016, NEC Red Rockets announced that Kojima would join the team.
She was selected for the Japan women's national volleyball team. She also selected to compete in 2022 VNL. She joined training camp for 2022 World Championship.[3] However she wasn't selected as a member to compete in world championship.[4]
In 2022–2023 season, she helped NEC to won their first victory in six season and she won Best Receiver award.[5][6]
She was appointed as a captain of NEC in the 2023-24 V.League Division 1 Women's season.[7] NEC won consecutive trophy and she was named as the Best Libero Award.[8]
On March 11, 2024, NEC announced that she would leave the team at the end of the season and transferred to League One Volleyball in the US.[9][10] In July, it was announced that she would be joining LOVB Salt Lake.[11] In July, it was announced that she would be competing in the Athletes Unlimited tournament, which began in October.[12] The tournament is a competition based on individual points. She placed 7th out of 44 players and 2nd as a Libero. She was voted as the Best Libero by the players.[13]
In April 2025, she was awarded the Libero of the Year award at the LOVB's 2025 season.[14]
Awards
Individual
- 2013-14 Kanto University Spring League - Best Libero
- 2013 FIVB Volleyball Women's U20 World Championship - Best Libero
- 2013-14 Kanto University Autumn League - Best Libero
- 2015-16 Kanto University Spring League - Best Libero
- 2015-16 All Japan Intercollegiate Championship - Best Libero
- 2017 VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup - Best Libero
- 2017 FISU University Games - Best Libero
- 2017 FISU University Games - Best Digger
- 2019 VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup - Best Libero
- 2022-23 V.League Division 1 Women's - Best Receiver
- 2023 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship - Best Libero
- 2023-24 V.League Division 1 Women's - Best Libero
- 2024 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League - Best Libero
- 2024 Athletes Unlimited - Best Receiver
- 2024 Athletes Unlimited - Best Libero
- 2025 LOVB Pro season - Best Libero
- 2025 Athletes Unlimited - Best Receiver
College team
- 2013-14 All Japan Intercollegiate Championship - - Runner-up, with Aoyama Gakuin University
- 2013-14 Kanto University Spring League - - Champion, with Aoyama Gakuin University
- 2013-14 Kanto University Autumn League - - Champion, with Aoyama Gakuin University
- 2013-14 East Japan Intercollegiate Championship - - Runner-up, with Aoyama Gakuin University
- 2015-16 All Japan Intercollegiate Championship - - Bronze medal, with Aoyama Gakuin University
- 2015-16 Kanto University Spring League - - Bronze medal, with Aoyama Gakuin University
- 2016-17 Kanto University Autumn League - - Runner-up, with Aoyama Gakuin University
Club team
- 2016-17 Japanese Empress' Cup - - Bronze medal, with NEC Red Rockets
- 2016-17 V.League Division 1 - - Champion, with NEC Red Rockets
- 2018 Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship - - Runner-up, with NEC Red Rockets
- 2017-18 Japanese Empress' Cup - - Bronze medal, with NEC Red Rockets
- 2019 VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup - - Champion, with NEC Red Rockets
- 2018-19 Japanese Empress' Cup - - Bronze medal, with NEC Red Rockets
- 2021-22 Kurowashiki Tournament - - Bronze medal, with NEC Red Rockets
- 2021-22 Japanese Empress' Cup - - Bronze medal, with NEC Red Rockets
- 2022-23 Kurowashiki Tournament - - Bronze medal, with NEC Red Rockets
- 2022-23 Japanese Empress' Cup - - Champion, with, with NEC Red Rockets
- 2022-23 V.League Division 1 Women's - - Champion, with NEC Red Rockets
- 2023-24 Japanese Empress' Cup - - Champion, with NEC Red Rockets
- 2023-24 V.League Division 1 Women's - - Champion, with NEC Red Rockets
National team
- 2013 FIVB Volleyball Women's U20 World Championship - - Runner-up
- 2014 Eastern Asian Women's Volleyball Championship - - Champion
- FISU World University Games - - Bronze medal
- 2016 Eastern Asian Women's Volleyball Championship - - Runner-up
- FISU World University Games - - Bronze medal
- 2017 VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup - - Champion
- 2023 Asian Women's Volleyball Championship - - Bronze medal
- 2024 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League - - - Runner-up
References
- ^ 2021-22V.LEAGUE公式プログラム チームの顔 2021年 11 月号 [雑誌]: バレーボール 増刊. Nihon Bunka Publishing. November 2021. p. 169.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "関東大学バレー春季リーグ最終順位＆個人賞（男女1部・男女2部） 2013-05-20 - 排球博客". volley20090401.blog.fc2.com. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "【バレー】世界選手権女子代表合宿メンバー16人発表「精度さらに上げて臨む」古賀紗理那主将 - バレーボール : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "眞鍋ジャパン 世界バレーに挑む14人を発表 リベロに内瀬戸、宮部藍梨＆愛芽世が姉妹で代表入り | TBS NEWS DIG (1ページ)". TBS NEWS DIG (in Japanese). 2022-09-23. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "歴史に残る激闘のファイナル制しNECが優勝 －中央日土地 2022-23 V.LEAGUE DIVISION1 WOMEN V.FINAL STAGE FINAL 最終結果－ News". SV League/Japan Volleyball League JVL Official website MEN (in Japanese). 2023-04-22. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "V1女子 NECが6年ぶり7度目の優勝 最終順位と個人賞が決定 | 月バレ.com【月刊バレーボール】". 月バレ.com【月刊バレーボール】 | 月刊バレーボールが運営するバレー情報サイト (in Japanese). 2023-04-23. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "2023-24シーズン キャプテン・副キャプテン・チームスタッフ新体制のお知らせ | ニュース". NECレッドロケッツ川崎公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "【V1女子ファイナル】NECが無敗のJTを下し初の連覇達成！最終順位・個人賞決定 News". SV League/Japan Volleyball League JVL Official website MEN (in Japanese). 2024-03-03. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "2023-24シーズン勇退・退団選手のお知らせ | ニュース". NECレッドロケッツ川崎公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ 勝部晃多. "【バレー】Ｖリーグ連覇のNEC、退団６選手を発表 代表リベロの小島満菜美は米リーグに参戦 - バレーボール : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Archived from the original on 2025-02-22. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Archived from the original on 2025-02-22. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ Lewis, Alexandra (2024-11-02). "8 Athletes Named to the 2024 AU Pro Volleyball All-Position Team". Athletes Unlimited. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
- ^ "日本代表の小島満菜美がアメリカLOVBで年間最優秀リベロ賞を受賞！". バレーボールキング (in Japanese). 2025-04-10. Retrieved 2026-02-27.