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Volleyball legend Kim Yeon-koung becomes co-owner of San Francisco team

Published: 05 Apr. 2026, 12:15 Updated: 05 Apr. 2026, 18:10

Former volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung, cirlced in red, is shown in this image provided by LOVB San Francisco. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Korean volleyball legend Kim Yeon-koung has become a co-owner of the U.S. volleyball team LOVB San Francisco.

San Francisco is the ninth to have joined League One Volleyball (LOVB), which has seen six teams compete since the league launched in October 2021. The addition of San Francisco alongside two other teams — LOVB Los Angeles and LOVB Minnesota — increases the total number of teams to nine for the 2027 season.

“I’m honored to join LOVB San Francisco and be a part of building a new future for women’s volleyball,” Kim said in a press release shared on the team's website on Thursday. “I’m excited to support the growth of the game and create more opportunities for the next generation, and I hope to help build meaningful connections between the San Francisco team and the broader volleyball community in Korea.”

The ownership group also includes figures from sports and culture, including Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, a former NBA player, and two-time Olympic gold medalist and football legend Julie Foudy.

Kim retired last year after a 20-year career, during which she had stints in Japan, Turkey and China and clinched five V League titles — in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2023 and 2025 — and four Korean championship trophies in 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2025.

She was also an integral part of the Korean national team at the 2012 and 2020 Summer Olympics, leading the country to the semifinals at both Games.

San Francisco is set to play their first LOVB match in January next year.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON, PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]