Head Turners: The Top 10 to watch at Women’s Olympic Qualifier

The world’s best women’s teams are ready to put on a spectacle for the Volleyball Olympic Qualifying Tournament from September 16 to 24 in three cities, namely Ningbo, Tokyo and Lodz.

The Olympic Qualifier will be more intense than ever with some of the biggest names in women’s volleyball bannering their squad’s campaign to clinch one of the six available spots for Paris 2024.

These women have been preparing with their teams since the end of the 2023 VNL and they are all ready to play, so let’s find out the top 10 to watch at this year’s Olympic Qualification Tournament.

• Watch all matches of the Volleyball Olympic Qualifying Tournament on VBTV.

Micha Hancock (USA)
The setter helped the United States win their first-ever gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and this year skippered the team at the Volleyball Nations League.

Rosamaria Montibeller (BRA)
The opposite has impressed and held her own, putting together an outstanding performance that contributed to Brazil’s silver medal finish at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Paola Egonu (ITA)
The 2022 VNL MVP is a hard-hitting and heavy-scoring opposite, and a game-changer that could possibly carry Italy to win their first Olympic medal in women’s volleyball.

Sarina Koga (JPN)
The Japanese has commanded the left side and continued to look increasingly at ease as captain of the team, who is keeping its status as a world powerhouse.

Zehra Gunes (TUR)
She could be mistaken for a glamorous Hollywood star, but her talents speak volumes for Türkiye, as she is the team’s best defender in their frontline.

Pimipichaya Kokram (THA)
The Thai opposite is one of the most exciting players to watch as her intensity and threat on offense makes her one of the most difficult to defend against from the right side.

Diao Linyu (CHN)
Her playmaking steered China to silver at the 2023 VNL with a touch that is reminiscent of her predecessors' Feng Kun and Ding Xia, who led the team to win gold in Athens and Rio.

Tijana Boskovic (SRB)
The back-to-back world titlist and Olympic bronze medalist opposite is an unstoppable force in the Serbian lineup who knows how to win and could score at will.

Maria Stenzel (POL)
The Polish libero's defense stood out in Poland's VNL bronze medal winning campaign, setting up her tall, heavy-hitting teammates to their scoring successes.

Gaila Gonzalez (DOM)
Gaila Gonzalez complements the scoring ability of Brayelin Martinez, forming a high-scoring duo for the Dominican Republic that can dismantle the opponents’ defense.

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