Volleyball’s Rising Star Miyu Kawazoe of PFU BlueCats
FRIDAY Sports Nonfiction
At the Volleyball “SV League Women” All-Star Game, she was MVP!
Miyu Kawazoe, a rising star in volleyball with PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku (age 23), is attracting attention not only for her beauty—considered one of the most stunning in the SV League women’s division—but also for her impressive all-around skills on the court.
When asked repeatedly to pose for photos, she responded cheerfully, even mimicking her team’s cat mascot with a playful meow, lighting up the room with her smile—a visual impact that could be described as devastatingly charming.
However, Kawazoe is far more than just a cute player. At Fukuoka University, she played as an outside hitter, leading her team to third place in the All-Japan Intercollegiate Championships and earning the Best Scorer award. Known for her clever play and powerful spikes driven by impressive vertical leaps, she maintained her strong performance in her first SV League season. She’s also an all-rounder capable of gritty plays, from digs rivaling a libero’s to selfless block support for her team.
Though sometimes compared to Ai Takahashi, another prominent player in the women’s league, Kawazoe firmly denies any similarity. Yet, they share the same birth month and year, the same position, and both shone on big stages—Kawazoe won the MVP at the January SV League All-Star Game last season, proving her star quality.
For the SV League women’s division to explode in popularity, stars like Kawazoe are eagerly awaited.
Reflecting on her rookie year, Kawazoe said, “I’m good at and enjoy hitting diagonally, but I want to expand my range of spikes.” She consistently outperformed league averages in attack success rate, serve-receive success, and serve effectiveness. However, after her All-Star MVP performance, opponents began to guard her favorite spots more closely.
“Sometimes my attacks don’t succeed as much, she admitted, but mentally I’ve grown stronger. The SV League is on a different level of height compared to college, so I often realized my attacks don’t work here. But instead of thinking negatively, I told myself, ‘Then I’ll try harder in digs.’ I’ve learned to think positively.”
More than becoming a future member of the Japan national team Kawazoe’s goal
Kawazoe, from Omura City in Nagasaki Prefecture, was a setter until the second year of junior high school. After that, until she graduated high school, she played as a middle blocker, then switched to outside hitter upon entering university. Having experienced multiple positions, her versatility awakened. Although her height of 170 cm is considered on the shorter side for the SV League, she is unfazed. Just as Yuki Ishikawa and Takahashi confidently compete against taller foreign players, volleyball is a sport where height differences can be overcome.
“(Kotoha Hayashi, 25), who plays for the Japan national team and competed in the Paris Olympics, is about the same height as me. She can receive well and skillfully spike, so I look up to her as a reference because she’s similar to me!”
While fans want to see Kawazoe join the national team, she stays grounded and envisions a future leading her team to the championship rather than focusing solely on becoming a national player.
“My big goal is to make PFU a team that can reach the championship. If we win, I might be satisfied enough to quit volleyball (laughs).”
Kawazoe modestly responded to all questions from the author.
“I’m often told I’m calm and that I ‘don’t show much emotion.’ Apparently, during my student days, I wasn’t even confessed to—boys were scared of me (laughs).”
She says this frankly, suggesting she’s always lived without pretense. It’s said she appeared at the All-Star game without makeup, surprising those around her—but she’s just 100% focused on standing on the volleyball stage as a player.
The May 15 issue of FRIDAY (May 30 edition) and the paid version FRIDAY GOLD include her thoughts on lessons learned from the Noto Peninsula earthquake disaster area and her origins as a volleyball player.
For more details and multiple photos, click here↓.
From the May 30, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”
Interview and text by Yoshiyuki Komiya (sports writer)： Yoshiyuki Komiya (sports writer) PHOTO： Hiroyuki Komatsu, cPFU Life Agency LIMITED 2025 (4th and 5th photos)
