Risa Sato

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Risa Sato
Personal information
Born (1994-10-04) October 4, 1994 (age 29)
Osaka, Japan
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight65 kg (143 lb)
Spike275 cm (108 in)
Block269 cm (106 in)
College / UniversityNational University
(2016–2020)
Volleyball information
PositionMiddle Blocker
Current clubCreamline Cool Smashers
Number05
Career
YearsTeams
2016–2017BaliPure
2018–presentCreamline
National team
2015Philippines (U23)
2015, 2018Philippines

Risa Sato (佐藤 理沙, Satō Risa) is a Filipina-Japanese volleyball player who is currently living in the Philippines. She played in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines for the NU Lady Bulldogs and is currently playing in the Premier Volleyball League for the Creamline Cool Smashers.

Early life[edit]

Risa Sato was born on October 4, 1994[1] in Osaka, Japan where she also spent her childhood. Her mother is Filipino while her father is Japanese. Sato played volleyball at school in Japan. She left Japan at age 19 along with her mother to pursue her dream to play in the Philippines.[2]

Career[edit]

Sato was brought to the Philippines in 2013 to play for the collegiate varsity team of the Ateneo de Manila University by Roger Gorayeb, who was then coach of the university.[3] She played for Ateneo as a guest player in the Shakey's V-League.[4] However she failed to get admitted to Ateneo due to failing the entrance examinations which was written in English. In August 2015, she underwent try-outs to play for the National University which by that time was already being mentored by Gorayeb.[3] By July 2017 she was already playing for the National University where she is a second year college student pursuing a degree in sports and wellness management. By the same time she was already playing for the BaliPure Purest Water Defenders of the Premier Volleyball League.[2] She won the Premier Volleyball League 1st Season Collegiate Conference championship with NU Lady Bulldogs.[5]

During her collegiate career, she won the following individual awards: 1st best middle blocker (2017 PVL reinforced conference),[6] 2nd best middle blocker (2017 PVL open conference),[7] 2nd best middle blocker (2017 PVL collegiate conference)[8]

National team[edit]

Sato made her international debut playing for the Philippine youth national team at the 2015 Asian Women's U23 Volleyball Championship which was hosted in Pasig. She was also part of the senior team squad that played in the 2015 VTV International Women's Volleyball Cup, an invitational tournament held in Vietnam.[2]

Personal life[edit]

By July 2017, Sato's mother who came with her when she moved to the Philippines had long returned to Osaka to join her dad. One of her sisters is also studying in the Philippines and she is occasionally visited by her cousins from Laguna.[2]

Clubs[edit]

Awards[edit]

Individuals[edit]

Collegiate[edit]

Clubs[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "5 Times birthday girl Risa Sato proved she's the PVL's ray of sunshine". ABS-CBN Sports. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017. National University Lady Bulldogs' Filipino-Japanese middle blocker Risa Sato is celebrating her birthday today!
  2. ^ a b c d "Osaka-born Sato enjoying dream to play in mom's country". 29 July 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  3. ^ a b Lozada, Mei-Lin (27 August 2015). "Risa Sato trying out for spot with NU after failing to enroll at Ateneo, says Gorayeb". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  4. ^ Lozada, Bong (30 August 2015). "Risa Sato nearing complete transfer to NU, says Gorayeb". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  5. ^ Escarlote, Mark (14 October 2017). "Sweep Victory: NU claims PVL Collegiate Conference title". ABS-CBN sports. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  6. ^ Escarlote, Mark (June 13, 2017). "Valdez bags inaugural PVL Reinforced Conference MVP award". ABS-CBN Sports. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  7. ^ Escarlote, Mark (August 12, 2017). "Pablo claims Open Conference MVP plum". ABS-CBN Sports. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  8. ^ Escarlote, Mark (October 14, 2017). "Santiago named PVL Collegiate Conference MVP". ABS-CBN Sports. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  9. ^ Basco, Karl Cedrick (July 31, 2023). "PVL: Kurashiki dethrones Creamline, claims Invitational crown". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 31, 2023.