Bangkok, Thailand – The Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) has announced the honorees of the inaugural AVC Gala following the conclusion of public voting, recognizing the outstanding performances that defined Asian volleyball throughout the 2025 season.
Japan’s Yuki Ishikawa was named Outstanding Men’s Volleyball Player after leading by example with another exceptional year on both the club and international stage. The award was presented by Madam Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul. On the women’s side, Mayu Ishikawa received the Outstanding Women’s Volleyball Player award, presented by Grand Sport, in recognition of another outstanding campaign that reaffirmed her status among Asia’s elite players.
In beach volleyball, Qatar’s accomplished duo Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan captured the Outstanding Men’s Beach Volleyball Players award, presented by Neocolors, following another outstanding season on the international stage. Japan’s Asami Shiba and Reika Murakami were recognized as Outstanding Women’s Beach Volleyball Players, presented by Rebisco, in recognition of their outstanding performances throughout the 2025 season.
The Volleyball Coach of the Year award went to Ferhat AkbaÅŸ, whose leadership guided Japan’s women’s national team to another successful campaign on the continental stage. Officiating excellence was likewise recognized as Yuliya Akulova of Kazakhstan received the Volleyball Referee of the Year award, while Wang Lijun of China was honored as Beach Volleyball Referee of the Year for their professionalism, consistency, and commitment to maintaining the highest standards of officiating.
The winners of the Outstanding Player, Volleyball Coach of the Year, and Referee of the Year awards were determined through a combined voting system comprising 70 percent AVC Committee votes and 30 percent public votes, ensuring that the final results reflected both expert evaluation and the voice of volleyball fans across Asia.
The Fans’ Choice Awards celebrated the passion of volleyball supporters across the continent. Unlike the Outstanding Awards, the Fans’ Choice Awards were determined entirely by public voting, giving fans the opportunity to directly decide the winners.
Chinese superstar Zhu Ting received 42,996 public votes to win the Fans’ Choice Volleyball Award, presented by VBTV. The Philippines’ celebrated beach volleyball tandem of Cherry Ann Rondina and Bernadeth Pons earned 43,905 public votes to capture the Fans’ Choice Beach Volleyball Award, presented by the City of Candon through Mayor Eric Singson.
The inaugural AVC Gala generated an overwhelming response from volleyball fans across the continent, with 399,141 votes cast throughout the voting period, underscoring the passion and engagement of Asia’s volleyball community in celebrating the sport’s finest athletes, coaches, referees, and beach volleyball stars.
In addition to the competitive categories, the inaugural AVC Gala will confer its Lifetime Achievement Award upon Jizhong Wei of China, honoring his decades of visionary leadership and extraordinary contributions to the development of volleyball in Asia and around the world. A former AVC President and FIVB President, Wei played a pivotal role in advancing the sport through his leadership of both organizations, championing the growth of national federations and continental development initiatives while leaving an enduring legacy for future generations of volleyball.
The winners will be formally honored during the 1st AVC Gala Awards Night on August 8, 2026, in Bangkok, Thailand, where Asia’s volleyball community will gather to celebrate the continent’s finest athletes, coaches, referees, beach volleyball stars, and distinguished leaders.
AVC President Ramon Suzara welcomed the successful launch of the inaugural AVC Gala and underscored the significance of recognizing excellence through both expert evaluation and fan participation.
“The AVC Gala was created to celebrate Asian volleyball excellence and to honor the individuals whose talent, dedication, and achievements continue to inspire millions throughout our continent. The nearly 400,000 votes cast by fans demonstrate the incredible passion that exists for volleyball across Asia, and we are proud to establish a new tradition that recognizes the very best of our sport.
We are excited to welcome our winners to the 1st AVC Gala Awards Night this August in Bangkok, where Asia’s volleyball family will come together to celebrate their remarkable achievements and the continued growth of our sport. Volleyball has always been a sport driven by its community, and our fans remain at the heart of its continued success. By combining the expertise of the AVC Committee with the voices of our supporters, the AVC Gala not only recognizes excellence but also celebrates the strong bond between our athletes and the fans who inspire them every step of the way.”
The inaugural AVC Gala marks a significant milestone for the Asian Volleyball Confederation as it establishes a premier annual awards platform dedicated to celebrating Asian volleyball excellence. By recognizing outstanding achievements across volleyball and beach volleyball, honoring visionary leaders whose lifelong service has shaped the sport, and placing fans at the heart of the celebration, the AVC Gala reinforces AVC’s commitment to inspiring future generations and advancing volleyball throughout Asia.
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