Jeju Sun Hotel on the 27th, where the 2023 Korea Volleyball Federation (KOVO) men’s Asia Quarter Tryout Draft event was held for the first time in history. A total of 70 marbles, 10 from each team, went into the automatic lottery machine, and the first marble that KOVO Secretary General Moo-cheol Shin picked up was Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance blue. Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance coach Kim Sang-woo, coaching staff, and secretariat staff cheered as they got the first pick.
Director Kim’s choice was Eddie (24) of Mongolian nationality. Eddie, who came to Korea to study volleyball in January 2017, transferred to Suncheon Jeil High School for the 3rd year and then went to Sungkyunkwan University. At the time of Eddie’s admission to Sungkyunkwan University, the volleyball team’s commanding tower was coach Kim. Coach Kim and Eddy continued their relationship as teachers in the professional team as well as in college. Eddie, who is 198 cm tall, can handle both attacks with both wings, so he is expected to be able to play an active role as a starter in Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, where the player base is thin. Eddie said, “I was so happy to be selected as the first. He said, “I have been waiting for a day like today for six years,” and expressed his determination, “I will learn more from coach Kim, who taught me the basics well so that I can have the skills I have today.” Coach Kim said, “I chose Eddie with an emphasis on strengthening offense. He said, “I will teach him more and grow him into a good player.” KEPCO, which received the second choice, chose Ryohei Libero Iga (29, Japan). KEPCO and Korean Air wanted to reinforce the libero, and it was likely that the first team to get the nomination would choose Ryohei. Korean Air, who missed Ryohei by a single margin in third place, nominated outside hitter Mark Espeho (26, Philippines), who received the best score in receiving ability. 안전놀이터
4th place OK Financial Group nominated middle blocker Bayar Saihan (25), a Mongolian national and a prospective graduate of Inha University. He is a player who came to Korea from Mongolia to study volleyball with Eddie, and dreamed of naturalization, but was frustrated by the change in the nationality law last year, but through this Asian quota, he has laid the foundation for naturalization. Bayarsaihan said, “I was happy to think that I became a proud son of my mother who supported me the moment I was nominated. Hyundai Capital selected 203 cm middle blocker Cao Wei-chung (22, Taiwan), the tallest among the tryout participants, as the 5th pick. He is a player who has been evaluated as the richest in growth potential as he was born in 2001 as well as his skills to the extent that he was mentioned as the overall first choice candidate. In the 6th place, KB Insurance selected Liu Hong-min (30, Taiwan), an outside hitter, and the Woori Card for the final nomination was 202 cm tall apogee spiker Otake Isei (28, Japan). Otake is the son of Hideyuki Otake, who played for the Japanese national team in the 1990s.
