"(Oh) Se-in, I think you're going to Jeonggwanjang," a senior from Jungang Girls' High School's prediction hits the mark! The surprise first-round pick of an 181-cm high school ace: "I want to block my seniors" [Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"I really thought I wouldn't be called, so I was both flustered and happy when my name was announced. I was very nervous."

Oh Se-in (18, Jungang Girls' High School), the rookie outside hitter for Jeonggwanjang Red Sparks in women's professional volleyball, still vividly remembers the moment her name was called. She had not expected to be picked by Jeonggwanjang. However, Park Ye-reum (19), a senior from Jungang Girls' High School who plays for Jeonggwanjang, had sensed her junior's fate early on.

Oh Se-in received the sixth overall pick in the first round from Jeonggwanjang at the 2026-2027 Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) Women's Rookie Draft held on October 28 at the Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Following their selection of Cheongsu High School libero Kim A-joong (18) with the fifth pick, Jeonggwanjang used a draft right acquired through a trade with Heungkuk Life to select Oh Se-in.

In an interview with StarNews after being drafted, Oh Se-in laughed and said, "I had no idea which team or what order I would be picked in. My friends were talking about who they thought would go to Jeonggwanjang, but the person we expected didn't go, and instead me and (Kim) A-joong ended up going, so everyone was surprised."

But one person was different: Park Ye-reum, a senior from Jungang Girls' High School who had already entered the professional league. Oh Se-in said, "(Park) Ye-reum-unnie kept saying, 'Se-in, I think you're going to Jeonggwanjang.' But I really didn't know they would pick me."

Although it was an unexpected draft selection, the team is not unfamiliar. Jungang Girls' High School has long served as ball retrievers for GS Caltex home games held at Seoul Jangchung Gymnasium near the school. Oh Se-in also watched professional players up close during her high school years.

Oh Se-in said, "When I was a ball retriever last year and saw the seniors, I felt a bit intimidated. But when I actually joined the team, the seniors have been so kind to me. They teach me well during practice, which was different from what I had imagined. Living in the dormitory is also more fun than I expected," expressing excitement rather than worry about her new environment.

Oh Se-in is one of the most notable attackers on the high school stage this year. Influenced by her father, a former soccer player, she played soccer as a child before starting volleyball in fifth grade of elementary school. She was already 170 cm tall at the time and has since grown into an 181-cm outside hitter. She can also play as an opposite spiker.

Last year, she participated in the World Championship as part of the Under-21 (U-21) women's national volleyball team. This year, serving as the ace for Jungang Girls' High School, she enjoyed the joy of winning the IBK Industrial Bank of Korea Cup National Middle and High School Volleyball Tournament in August and receiving the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

The process was not smooth. Jungang Girls' High School lost consecutively to Sunmyung Girls' High School in the finals of the Spring League in March and the Category Championship in May. However, they succeeded in revenge in their third final matchup. At the time, Oh Se-in told StarNews, "Our coach told me that it was okay if I got blocked, so I should hit with confidence. When I did that, things actually worked out well."

Coach Jang Yun-hee (56) of Jungang Girls' High School also cited strong attacking impact and fighting spirit as Oh Se-in's greatest strengths. Coach Jang said, "(Oh) Se-in is diligent in any situation. She has good impact when hitting the ball and consistently produces points." He added, "She has a loud voice and is full of fighting spirit. She is a player who fulfills her role whether playing outside hitter or opposite."

Now it is time to prove that attacking power on the professional stage. The development of young wing attackers is also an important task for Jeonggwanjang. Jeonggwanjang, which finished at the bottom last season, began changes by appointing Kwon Soon-chan (51) as its new head coach in October. Although domestic outside hitter resources such as Park Hye-min and Park Ye-reum were joined by Asian quota player Jonghui, competition is still needed to establish decisive attacking power and a stable balance between offense and defense.

They confirmed these challenges recently at the Yeosu KOVO Cup as well. After losing 1-3 to Heungkuk Life, Jeonggwanjang defeated rookie team SOOP 3-0 to secure their first victory under Head Coach Kwon Soon-chan. However, they lost 1-3 to IBK Industrial Bank of Korea and were eliminated from the group stage with a record of one win and two losses. Immediately after the draft, Coach Kwon evaluated, "It was a bit chaotic at first, but it turned out as expected." By securing libero Kim A-joong and attacker Oh Se-in with two first-round picks, they gained an opportunity to build a new player layer.

Of course, Oh Se-in is not yet a finished player either. She herself cited receiving as her biggest area for improvement. Oh Se-in said, "I am not confident in my receiving yet. But I want to learn a lot from the coaches and seniors to definitely improve it. I want to show you that I can receive well." She continued, "I am confident in my attacking. As befitting a junior rookie, I want to show you that I attack with confidence."

This has been an ongoing task since her high school days. Coach Jang Yun-hee has also evaluated that Oh Se-in needs to further improve her receiving and digging, as well as diverse attacking courses, compared to her strong attacks. So, what does she most want to try in her first professional season? Surprisingly, it was not an attacking point.

Oh Se-in laughed and said, "I want to block the attacks of the seniors on opposing teams. I didn't get many blocking opportunities in high school either, but if I can stop the seniors' attacks in the pros, it will feel incredibly satisfying." She then resolved, "First, I will cheer hard for my seniors. If I get into a game, I will play in a way that helps the team so that we can definitely win."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original