Suntory Sunbirds
 | |
| Founded | 1973 |
|---|---|
| Ground | Suntory Training Center Minoh City, Osaka, Japan |
| Manager Head coach |  Masayuki Shimizu Masaji Ogino |
| Captain | Takahashi Ran |
| League | V.League Division 1 |
| 2022–23 | Runner-up |
| Website | Club home page |
Suntory Sunbirds (サントリー・サンバーズ, Santorī Sanbāzu) is a men's volleyball team based in Osaka city, Osaka, Japan. It plays in SV.League. The club was founded in 1973. The owner of the club is Suntory.
History
In 2023, Sunbirds beat Indonesia's Bhayangkara in the final to become the first Japanese club to win the Asian Clubs Championship title.[1]
Honours
(×1): 2023
(×10): 1994–1995, 1999–2000, 2000–2001, 2001–2002, 2002–2003, 2003–2004, 2006–2007, 2020–2021, 2021–2022, 2023-2024.
(×6): 1984–1985, 1990–1991, 2005–2006, 2010–2011, 2014–2015, 2022–2023.
- (×1): 2024–2025.
- (×6): 1979, 1985, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2022.
- (×3): 1986, 1992, 1999, 2023.
(×2): 2010, 2024.
Current roster
The following is team roster of Season 2025–26.[2]
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | Position | Years with Team | Previous Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taishi Onodera |
February 27, 1996 | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) | Middle Blocker | 2023– | JT Hiroshima | |
| 2 | Kenji Sato |
January 16, 1997 | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | Middle Blocker | 2019– | Tokai University | |
| 5 | Ryo Shimokawa |
January 12, 2000 | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | Setter | 2024– | VC Nagano Tridents | |
| 7 | Alain de Armas |
March 4, 2001 | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | Outside Hitter | 2020– | Miyakonojo Higashi High School | |
| 8 | Masahiro Sekita |
November 20, 1993 | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | Setter | 2025– | JTEKT Stings | Transfer[3] |
| 10 | Tomohiro Ogawa |
July 4, 1996 | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | Libero | 2025– | JTEKT Stings | Transfer[3] |
| 11 | Soshi Fujinaka |
December 2, 1999 | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | Libero | 2022– | VC Nagano Tridents | Jersey number changed |
| 12 | Ran Takahashi (c) |
September 2, 2001 | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | Outside Hitter | 2020– |  Vero Volley Monza |
|
| 13 |  Dmitriy Muserskiy |
October 29, 1988 | 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in) | Opposite Hitter | 2018– | Belogorie Belgorod |
|
| 14 | Ren Oniki |
August 28, 2000 | 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) | Middle Blocker | 2023– | Nippon Sport Science University | |
| 15 | Yoshimitsu Kiire |
May 13, 1995 | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | Libero | 2018– | Waseda University | Vice Captain |
| 17 | Daito Kashimura |
January 15, 1999 | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | Middle Blocker | 2021–2022 2024– |
Wolfdogs Nagoya | |
| 18 | Egor Kliuka |
June 15, 1995 | 2.09 m (6 ft 10 in) | Outside Hitter | 2025– | Zenit Saint Petersburg |
Transfer[3] |
| 19 | Kotaro Kai |
November 5, 2001 | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | Opposite Hitter | 2024– | Senshu University | |
| 21 | Rui Takahashi |
January 14, 2000 | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | Outside Hitter | 2022– | Nihon University | |
| 22 | Norinobu Kuwada |
June 28, 1999 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Outside Hitter | 2022–2024 2025– |
Wolfdogs Nagoya | Return |
| 23 | Tatsuki Kashiwada |
November 9, 1997 | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | Middle Blocker | 2022– | Wolfdogs Nagoya | |
Head coach:  Olivier Lecat
| |||||||
| Sources: Team official announcements,[2] team official website,[4] V.League official website[5] Updated: June 8, 2025 | |||||||
Position abbreviations: S = Setter, OH = Outside Hitter, OP = Opposite, MB = Middle Blocker, L = Libero
Former roster
| Team roster – Season 2024/25 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | Position | |
| 1 | Taishi Onodera |
February 27, 1996 | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) | Middle Blocker | |
| 2 | Kenji Sato |
January 16, 1997 | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | Middle Blocker | |
| 4 | Atomu Torikai |
April 6, 1996 | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | Opposite Hitter | |
| 6 | Ryo Shimokawa |
January 12, 2000 | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | Setter | |
| 7 |  Alain De Armas |
March 4, 2001 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 8 | Soshi Fujinaka |
December 2, 1999 | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | Libero | |
| 9 | Masaki Oya |
April 23, 1995 | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | Setter | |
| 10 | Kenya Fujinaka (c) |
July 25, 1993 | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 11 |  Aleksander Śliwka |
May 24, 1995 | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 12 | Ran Takahashi |
September 2, 2001 | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 13 | Dmitry Muserskiy |
October 29, 1988 | 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in) | Opposite Hitter | |
| 14 | Ren Oniki |
August 28, 2000 | 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) | Middle Blocker | |
| 15 | Yoshimitsu Kiire |
May 13, 1995 | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | Libero | |
| 17 | Hiroto Kashimura |
January 15, 1999 | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | Middle Blocker | |
| 18 | Hikaru Someno |
July 3, 2001 | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 19 | Kotaro Kai |
November 5, 2001 | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | Opposite Hitter | |
| 20 | Hiroki Nishida |
August 15, 1997 | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | Setter | |
| 21 | Rui Takahashi |
January 14, 2000 | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 22 | Kenshin Kuwada |
June 28, 1999 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 23 | Tatsuki Kashiwada |
November 9, 1997 | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | Middle Blocker | |
| Head coach: Olivier Lecat
| |||||
| Team roster – Season 2023/24 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | Position | |
| 1 | Taishi Onodera | February 27, 1996 | 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) | Middle Blocker | |
| 2 | Yuito Takahashi | May 23, 1997 | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | Libero | |
| 4 | Atomu Torikai | April 6, 1996 | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) | Opposite Hitter | |
| 6 |  Yu Yuantai |
December 3, 1997 | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 7 | Alain De Armas |
March 4, 2001 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 8 | Soshi Fujinaka | December 2, 1999 | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | Libero | |
| 9 | Masaki Oya (c) | April 23, 1995 | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | Setter | |
| 10 | Kenya Fujinaka | July 25, 1993 | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 12 | Kenji Sato | January 16, 1997 | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | Middle Blocker | |
| 13 | Dmitry Muserskiy |
October 29, 1988 | 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in) | Opposite Hitter | |
| 14 | Ren Oniki | August 28, 2000 | 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) | Middle Blocker | |
| 15 | Yoshimitsu Kiire | May 13, 1995 | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | Libero | |
| 20 | Hiroki Nishida | August 15, 1997 | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | Setter | |
| 21 | Rui Takahashi | January 14, 2000 | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 22 | Kenshin Kuwada | June 28, 1999 | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | Outside Hitter | |
| 23 | Tatsuki Kashiwada | November 9, 1997 | 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in) | Middle Blocker | |
| Head coach: Kota Yamamura
| |||||
League results
Champions Runners-up
| League | Position | Teams | Matches | Wins | Losses | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V.League | ||||||
| 1st (1994–95) | Champions | 8 | 21 | 14 | 7 | |
| 2nd (1995–96) | 4th | 8 | 21 | 14 | 7 | |
| 3rd (1996–97) | 3rd | 8 | 21 | 12 | 9 | |
| 4th (1997–98) | 4th | 8 | 21 | 12 | 9 | |
| 5th (1998–99) | 3rd | 10 | 18 | 14 | 4 | |
| 6th (1999–00) | Champions | 10 | 18 | 14 | 4 | |
| 7th (2000–01) | Champions | 10 | 18 | 14 | 4 | |
| 8th (2001–02) | Champions | 10 | 18 | 11 | 7 | |
| 9th (2002–03) | Champions | 8 | 21 | 13 | 8 | |
| 10th (2003–04) | Champions | 8 | 21 | 11 | 10 | |
| 11th (2004–05) | 5th | 8 | 28 | 14 | 14 | |
| 12th (2005–06) | Runners-up | 8 | 28 | 20 | 8 | |
| V・Premier | ||||||
| 2006-07 | Champions | 8 | 28 | 23 | 5 | |
| 2007-08 | 3rd | 8 | 28 | 24 | 4 | |
| 2008-09 | 4th | 8 | 28 | 22 | 6 | |
| 2009-10 | 5th | 8 | 28 | 15 | 13 | |
| 2010-11 | Runners-up | 8 | 24 | 18 | 6 | |
| 2011-12 | 3rd | 8 | 21 | 10 | 11 | |
| 2012-13 | 4th | 8 | 28 | 24 | 4 | |
| 2013-14 | 6th | 8 | 28 | 11 | 17 | |
| 2014-15 | Runners-up | 8 | 21 | 16 | 5 | |
| 2015–16 | 7th | 8 | 21 | 9 | 12 | |
| 2016–17 | 4th | 8 | 21 | 13 | 8 | |
| 2017–18 | 5th | 8 | 21 | 8 | 13 | |
| V・League Division 1 | 2018–19 | 4th | 10 | 32 | 21 | 11 |
| 2019–20 | 3rd | 10 | 30 | 20 | 10 | |
| 2020–21 | Champions | 10 | 36 | 33 | 3 | |
| 2021–22 | Champions | 10 | 38 | 29 | 9 | |
| 2022–23 | Runners-up | 10 | 40 | 28 | 12 | |
| 2023–24 | Champions | 10 | ||||
References
- ^ "Japan's Suntory Sunbirds claim historic Asian Clubs Championship title". www.fivb.com. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
- ^ a b "2025-26シーズン 新体制のお知らせ" (in Japanese). サントリーサンバーズ大阪. 2025-06-03. Retrieved 2025-06-12.
- ^ a b c "2025-26シーズン 新入団選手のお知らせ サントリーサンバーズ大阪". SUNBIRDS 大阪 サントリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ "選手・スタッフ" (in Japanese). サントリーサンバーズ. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
- ^ "サントリーサンバーズ". vleague.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-12-27.