Alas Pilipinas captain Jia de Guzman in attendance through the UAAP Season 87 girls’s volleyball Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web
MANILA, Philippines —Contemporary off her remaining season in Japan, Jia De Guzman is losing no time gearing up for her subsequent mission with Alas Pilipinas.
The veteran setter just lately wrapped up a protracted marketing campaign with the Denso AiryBees within the Japan V.League, the place they positioned fourth after falling to Jaja Santiago’s JT Marvelous within the semifinals.
READ: Jia De Guzman leaving Japan’s Denso, focuses on Alas Pilipinas
The nationwide staff captain, who took time to look at the most effective of Philippine collegiate volleyball and witnessed Nationwide College seize its second straight title within the UAAP Season 87 girls’s volleyball Finals, is now turning her full focus to the nationwide staff.
Jia De Guzman is worked up to play with the youthful Alas Pilipinas call-ups. #UAAPSeason87 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/HQ1zFbiYqU
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) Could 14, 2025
“We fell brief. We made it to the semifinals, however got here up a bit brief in the long run,” De Guzman stated of her Japan stint. “Nonetheless, we’re very pleased with how we carried out, particularly since we ranked greater than final season. Everybody gave their finest, and it was a very lengthy season, particularly with the brand new event format.”
Denso introduced final April that it could be De Guzman’s remaining yr with the membership.
Now again in Manila, the eight-time PVL Finest Setter has shortly rejoined coaching with Alas Pilipinas, becoming a member of holdovers Vanie Gandler, Daybreak Catindig, Thea Gagate, Julia Coronel, Dell Palomata, and Eya Laure, together with newcomers Shaina Nitura and Maddie Madayag.
Jia De Guzman and Alas Pilipinas throughout a sport towards Vietnam within the FIVB Challenger Cup in Manila.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.web
“I’m actually excited. I simply acquired again on Could 8, and I used to be truly anticipated to return to coaching round Could 20 or 26. However I need to get began already,” De Guzman informed the reporters in Filipino. “I noticed that a whole lot of new gamers have arrived, like Shaina and the others. Hopefully, as soon as the UAAP Finals are executed, we’ll get extra additions. We’ve got loads to organize for this season.”
The reigning Problem Cup Finest Setter is bracing for a more durable marketing campaign on this yr’s AVC Girls’s Nations Cup — previously referred to as the Problem Cup — in Hanoi, Vietnam, from June 7 to 14.
READ: ‘Ms. Volleyball’ honor ‘dream come true’ for Jia de Guzman
“There’s undoubtedly a bit little bit of stress this yr, particularly since we received bronze final yr. However on the similar time, we’re ranging from zero once more. We’ve all been aside, and we nonetheless want extra time to organize,” stated De Guzman.
“Our first event is developing. We’re additionally anticipating gamers from the UAAP, however we don’t know after we’ll be full. Proper now, there are about 12 or 13 of us coaching collectively. So we’re simply reminding the women to take it day-to-day, keep centered on coach’s system, and hopefully get extra wins and medals this yr.”
Alas Pilipinas bagged three bronze medals final yr — together with two from the SEA V.League and one from the AVC Problem Cup at Rizal Memorial Coliseum, with De Guzman being named Finest Setter.
Having noticed the brand new wave of expertise up shut, De Guzman is raring to play alongside the subsequent technology of Philippine volleyball stars — together with fellow Alas gamers Bella Belen and Angel Canino, who led their respective groups within the just lately concluded UAAP finals.
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“These are massive names and large abilities, and the extent of volleyball now’s simply wonderful,” she stated.
“Despite the fact that I’ve been enjoying for some time and I performed in Japan additionally. There’s nonetheless a lot to study even from the younger blood. Seeing them play now, it’s such an enormous leap from how we performed again after I was in faculty. I’m positive I’ll nonetheless study loads from them too.”
