MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Volleyball Federation Inc. announced yesterday all but four women players who will comprise the national pools of volleyball and beach volley seeing action in international competitions including the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games in November.
PNVFI president Ramon Suzara disclosed the names of 20 members of the men’s pool, 16 in the women’s pool and 10 each for the men’s and women’s beach volley squads during an online presser.
Japanese league import Jaja Santiago, 2019 SEA Games skipper Aby Maraño, Majoy Baron and Eya Laure were among the notable players in the women’s side with four more slots to be decided by Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito and assistant Odjie Mamon next month.
National Team Commission co-chairman Tonyboy Liao said the remaining slots in the women’s squad may be a tossup from among the 24 who failed to attend last month’s tryouts in Subic due to various reasons.
Included in the group are superstar Alyssa Valdez, Kim Fajardo, Jia Morado, Madie Madayag, Dawn Macandili, Myla Pablo and Fil-Hawaiian Kalei Mau, who is set to play in a league in Puerto Rico.
Mamon hinted they still need a veteran setter and a libero and two outside spikers.
Those who will be selected will be part of the pool that will see action in the Asian Women’s Senior Championships, which the country will host in Clark, Pampanga in August following China’s withdrawal as host.
“We will bring in 14 to 16 teams with the Angeles University Foundation Gym as our possible venue,” said Suzara.
Meanwhile, John Vic de Guzman, Marck Espejo and Bryan Bagunas, vital cogs in the silver-medal effort in the 2019 SEA Games, lead the men’s team while SEAG bronze medalists Sisi Rondina, Bernadeth Pons, Dzi Gervacio and Dij Rodriguez and Jude Garcia, Jaron Requinton and James Buytrago are spearheads of the beach volley pools.