Only 'a mere 16' out of 57 make it to the pros, women's volleyball records lowest-ever selection rate at 28.07% in a 'shock'... Audrey Park selected with the overall first pick by IBK Industrial Bank of Korea [KOVO Rookie Draft On-Site]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

A bitter record of the lowest-ever selection rate emerged from the women's rookie draft in professional volleyball. Even as a historic moment occurred where a player with foreign nationality and Korean heritage received the overall first pick for the first time in the 21st years since the launch of the V-League, the door to the pros was narrower than ever before.

The Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) held the 2026~2027 Women's Rookie Player Draft on the 28th at the Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. A total of 57 players participated in this draft, including 50 high school graduating students, 6 university students, and 1 player with foreign nationality and Korean heritage. However, only 16 players were selected by professional teams, including 2 training players. The selection rate was 28.07%, recording the lowest figure ever.

The previous lowest record was 33.33% in the 2020~2021 season. Last year as well, only 21 out of 58 were selected, resulting in a low selection rate of 36.21%, but this year it dropped by another 8.14 percentage points. This means that more than 7 out of every 10 draft participants did not receive a call from a professional team. Ahead of this year's draft, KOVO allowed the participation of players with foreign nationality and Korean heritage for the first time to expand player supply, yet the overall selection rate fell to an all-time low level instead.

The start was glamorous. Based on the reverse order of the final standings from last season, the probability of drawing the selection order was given in the following order: Jeonggwanjang (35%), SOOP (30%), IBK Industrial Bank of Korea (20%), Heungkuk Life (8%), Hyundai Construction (4%), Korea Expressway Corporation (2%), and GS Caltex (1%).

As a result of the draw, IBK Industrial Bank of Korea secured the overall first pick. This was followed by SOOP, Hyundai Construction, Korea Expressway Corporation, Jeonggwanjang, Heungkuk Life, and GS Caltex. In particular, cheers erupted in the venue when the 4th% Hyundai Construction and 2% Korea Expressway Corporation were drawn.

There was no upset in the overall first pick. IBK Industrial Bank of Korea head coach Manabe Masayoshi (63) selected setter Audrey Park (24, Korean name: Park Hye-rin), who is from UCLA in the United States.

Audrey Park, a tall setter standing 180 cm, is a player who served as the starting setter for UCLA and then played for Columbus Fury in the US professional volleyball Major League Volleyball (MLV). She made her name in V-League history by being selected with the overall first pick in the first year that participation of players with foreign nationality and Korean heritage was allowed.

Subsequently, SOOP selected Jungmi-ju Kim (18), a setter from Jungang Girls' High School, with the second pick, and Hyundai Construction selected Jeong Ga-young (17), an opposite spiker from Ilsin Girls' Commercial High School, with the third pick. Korea Expressway Corporation selected Yoo Da-eun (18) from Geunyung Girls' High School with the fourth pick, and Jeonggwanjang selected Kim A-joong (18), a libero from Cheongsu High School, with the fifth pick.

Jeonggwanjang utilized Heungkuk Life's first-round selection right acquired through a trade to also sign Oh Se-in (18), an outside hitter from Jungang Girls' High School, with the sixth pick. GS Caltex called out Park Eun-bin (18) from Sunmyung Girls' High School with the seventh pick.

However, the atmosphere changed from the second round onwards. IBK Industrial Bank of Korea selected Lee Ha-su (18) from Mokpo Girls' Commercial High School, SOOP selected Kim Gyu-seul (18) from Cheongsu High School, Hyundai Construction selected Gwak Do-yeon (18) from Sunmyung Girls' High School, and Korea Expressway Corporation selected Kim Hyun-a (18) from Jungang Girls' High School. Heungkuk Life also selected Kang Min-ju (18) from Hanbom High School, and GS Caltex picked Oh Hye-sol (18) from Sunmyung Girls' High School. On the other hand, Jeonggwanjang did not exercise its selection rights from the second round onwards.

In the third round, the only selection was Korea Expressway Corporation picking Na Min-ji (18), a libero from Sunmyung Girls' High School. The remaining six teams all passed on their selections. In the fourth round, no one was selected at all. As training players, Heungkuk Life selected Hong Su-hwa (18) and Noh Yun-a (18) from Seohwa Girls' High School. Thus, the draft concluded with 7 players in the first round, 6 in the second round, 1 in the third round, and 2 training players.

By team, Korea Expressway Corporation and Heungkuk Life each selected 3 players, including training players. IBK Industrial Bank of Korea, SOOP, Hyundai Construction, Jeonggwanjang, and GS Caltex each picked 2 players. In particular, Hyundai Construction finished the draft without additional selections after choosing Jeong Ga-young in the first round and Gwak Do-yeon in the second round.

The selection rate for the women's volleyball rookie draft has not been able to rebound recently. The selection rate was 52.5% in the 2023~2024 season, dropped to 41.30% in the 2024~2025 season and 36.21% in the 2025~2026 season, and this year it broke below the 30% mark for the first time. Despite the new attempt of allowing participation by players with foreign nationality and Korean heritage, the record-low selection rate has left the issues of player development and supply of promising talents in domestic women's volleyball as a task once again.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original