Wolfdogs Nagoya
The Wolf Dogs Nagoya (Japanese: ウルフドッグスなごや) are a men's volleyball team based in Inazawa, Aichi, Japan. They play in the V.Premier League.
 | |
| Short name | WD Nagoya (WD名古屋) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1961 |
| Ground | ENTRIO（Inazawa, Aichi） |
| Head Coach |  Valerio Baldovin |
| Captain |  Bartosz Kurek |
| League | V.League Division 1 |
| 2022–23 | Champion |
| Website | wolfdogs.jp |
History
The Toyota Gosei Trefuerza volleyball team was founded in 1961 by enthusiasts as a 9-player team. In 1981, they transitioned to a 6-player team and began to strengthen themselves as an in-house club. They won all their games in the 29th Industrial League in 1999 and achieved their long-awaited promotion to the V League (then V.Premier League), renaming the team "Toyota Gosei Trefuerza." In 2013, their first foreign coach, Christian Sanderson Andersson, was appointed, and he instilled a precise organizational volleyball style in the team. They placed third in the 2014/15 V.Premier League and won their first championship in the following 2015/16 season. Since then, they have grown into a powerhouse team, finishing as runners-up in the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons and reaching the finals for three consecutive years.[1]
From the 2019–20 season, the team changed its name to Wolf Dogs Nagoya.[2] In the most recent seasons, they placed third in the 2020/21 season and were runners-up in the 2021/22 season.
Honours
- Japan Volleyball League/V.League/V.Premier League
- Winners (2): 2015–16, 2022—23
- Runners-up (3): 2016–17, 2017–18, 2021–22
- Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Championship
- Winners (1): 2023
- Runners-up (1): 2007
- Domestic Sports Festival
- Winners (1): 2012
Current roster
The following is team roster of Season 2023-2024[3]
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shuzo Yamada | November 27, 1992 | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | Outside hitter |
| 3 | Bartosz Kurek (c) | August 29, 1988 | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) | Opposite hitter |
| 6 | Hirotaka Kon | March 9, 1988 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Middle blocker |
| 8 | Dongchen Wang | June 1, 2000 | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) | Middle blocker |
| 9 | Kenta Takanashi | March 25, 1997 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Outside hitter |
| 11 | Ryota Denda | July 3, 1991 | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | Middle blocker |
| 13 | Takaki Koyama | November 23, 1997 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Outside hitter |
| 14 | Ryosuke Tsubakiyama | July 18, 1988 | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | Opposite spiker |
| 16 | Nakano Yamato | October 2, 1999 | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | Setter |
| 17 | Kenta Ichikawa | April 6, 1999 | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | Libero |
| 19 | Ryo Takahashi | July 30, 1998 | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | Outside hitter |
| 21 | Motoki Eiro | June 8, 1996 | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | Setter |
| 23 | Masato Katsuoka | July 3, 1996 | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | Outside Hitter |
| 24 | Tomohiro Ogawa | July 4, 1996 | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | Libero |
| 26 | Akito Yamazaki | October 16, 1997 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Outside hitter |
| Head coach: Valerio Baldovin | ||||
Former roster
| Team roster – Season 2022/23 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | Position | |
| 1 | Shuzo Yamada | November 27, 1992 | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | Outside hitter | |
| 2 | Tetsu Yamachika | October 1, 1990 | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | Middle blocker | |
| 3 | Bartosz Kurek (c) | August 29, 1988 | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) | Opposite hitter | |
| 4 | Yamato Fushimi | December 24, 1991 | 2.07 m (6 ft 9 in) | Middle blocker | |
| 5 | Issei Maeda | September 22, 1991 | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) | Setter | |
| 6 | Hirotaka Kon | March 9, 1988 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Middle blocker | |
| 8 | Dongchen Wang | June 1, 2000 | 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) | Middle blocker | |
| 9 | Kenta Takanashi | March 25, 1997 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Outside hitter | |
| 11 | Ryota Denda | July 3, 1991 | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | Middle blocker | |
| 13 | Takaki Koyama | November 23, 1997 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Outside hitter | |
| 14 | Ryosuke Tsubakiyama | July 18, 1988 | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | Opposite spiker | |
| 16 | Nakano Yamato | October 2, 1999 | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | Setter | |
| 17 | Kenta Ichikawa | April 6, 1999 | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | Libero | |
| 19 | Ryo Takahashi | July 30, 1998 | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | Outside hitter | |
| 20 | Taichi Kawaguchi | April 27, 1995 | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | Libero | |
| 21 | Motoki Eiro | June 8, 1996 | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | Setter | |
| 23 | Masato Katsuoka | July 3, 1996 | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 24 | Tomohiro Ogawa | July 4, 1996 | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | Libero | |
| 26 | Akito Yamazaki | October 16, 1997 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Outside hitter | |
| Head coach: Valerio Baldovin | |||||
League results
Champion Runner-up
| League | Position | Teams | Matches | Won | Lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V League | 1998–99 | 9th | 10 | 18 | 2 | 16 |
| 1999–2000 | 9th | 10 | 18 | 2 | 16 | |
| 2000–01 | Winners[lower-alpha 1] | 8 | 14 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2001–02 | Winners[lower-alpha 2] | 8 | 14 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2002–03 | 7th | 8 | 21 | 4 | 17 | |
| 2003–04 | 6th | 8 | 21 | 10 | 11 | |
| 2004–05 | 7th | 8 | 28 | 9 | 19 | |
| 2005–06 | 7th | 8 | 28 | 6 | 22 | |
| V・Premier League | 2006–07 | 4th | 8 | 28 | 16 | 12 |
| 2007–08 | 5th | 8 | 28 | 14 | 14 | |
| 2008–09 | 6th | 8 | 28 | 12 | 16 | |
| 2009–10 | 4th | 8 | 28 | 16 | 12 | |
| 2010–11 | 6th | 8 | 24 | 9 | 15 | |
| 2011–12 | 6th | 8 | 21 | 7 | 14 | |
| 2012–13 | 5th | 8 | 28 | 12 | 16 | |
| 2013–14 | 5th | 8 | 28 | 15 | 13 | |
| 2014–15 | 3rd | 8 | 21 | 13 | 8 | |
| 2015–16 | Winners | 8 | 21 | 15 | 6 | |
| 2016–17 | Runners-up | 8 | 21 | 15 | 6 | |
| 2017–18 | Runners-up | 8 | 21 | 15 | 6 | |
| V.League Division 1 | 2018–19 | 5th | 10 | 27 | 19 | 8 |
| 2019–20 | 7th | 10 | 27 | 10 | 17 | |
| 2020–21 | 3rd | 10 | 34 | 27 | 7 | |
| 2021–22 | Runners-up | 10 | 39 | 28 | 11 | |
| 2022–23 | Winners | 10 | 40 | 29 | 11 | |
| 2023–24 | – | – | – | – | ||
- Second tier, lost promotion play-offs
- Second tier, won promotion play-offs
Notable players
Tuomas Sammelvuo (FIN) (2005-2006)
Igor Omrčen (CRO) (2014-2019)- Bartosz Kurek (POL) (2021-present)
References
- "チームの歴史". 一般社団法人日本バレーボールリーグ機構. Retrieved 2023-06-28.
- "ウルフドッグス名古屋 オフィシャルサイト | チーム紹介". www.wolfdogs.jp. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
- "2023-24シーズン 新体制のお知らせ | ウルフドッグス名古屋 オフィシャルサイト | トピックス". www.wolfdogs.jp. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
External links
- Official website (in Japanese)