Shining at SEA Games 33, Vi Thị Như Quỳnh impresses her future coach

Vi Thị Như Quỳnh will embark on her first international stint in early 2026.

The Vietnamese women's volleyball team secured a crucial straight-set 3-0 victory over Indonesia on the evening of December 12, concluding Group B at SEA Games 33 as the top team with three wins and a dominant 9-0 set record.

In this match, Vietnam only faced challenges in the initial points of the first set before quickly regaining control and dominating the game. With key players hitting peak form, the national women's volleyball team is eager to make history at the Games held in Thailand — the long-time powerhouse of regional volleyball.

Trần Thị Thanh Thúy delivered an outstanding performance with 15 points, leading the team’s scoring chart with a commanding display, yet Vi Thị Như Quỳnh was not far behind. The opposite hitter from Nghệ An scored 13 points, ranking just after "4T" and confirming her status as one of the top scorers in Vietnamese women's volleyball currently.

Vi Quỳnh’s performance yesterday certainly caught the attention of Marcos Sugiyama — the new head coach of the Indonesian team, replacing Octavian. This coach of Brazilian-Japanese descent also leads Yogya Falcons, the Indonesian club that Như Quỳnh will join after SEA Games 33 concludes.

This will be the first time the 2002-born hitter plays abroad in her career. She will join Falcons on a short-term contract but may miss the first phase of the 2026 National Volleyball Championship.

At 23 years old, Vi Thị Như Quỳnh is one of Vietnam’s leading opposite hitters, known for her intelligent and skillful attacking. She has been a key player for the national team in recent years, helping achieve notable successes globally and continentally: bronze at the FIVB Challenger Cup, three consecutive AVC Nations Cup titles, gold at the second leg of the SEA V.League with a historic win over Thailand, standout performances at the Volleyball World Championship, and contributing to the team’s rise to their highest-ever world ranking of 22.