By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Superstar Alyssa Valdez was just named as the team captain of the Philippine Women’s National Volleyball Team (PWNVT) for the upcoming 2023 Southeast Asian Games set to kick off on May 1, 2023.
The development was confirmed by Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Ramon “Tats” Suzara after announcing the final rosters of both the men’s and the women’s squads in the biennial sports meet.
Valdez, a staple in the lineup of the PWNVT ever since will be replacing the duties of middle blocker Aby Maraño who announced her retirement from the national team a month ago.
Her experience and leadership led her to her post as a skipper and will look to lead the team with a mix of young and veteran stars playing in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).
The PNVF got a chunk from the lineup of the Creamline Cool Smashers, the recent champions during the 2023 PVL All-Filipino Conference tournament.
Valdez will be backstopped by Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, Michele Gumabao, Jia Morado- De Guzman, Ced Domingo, and Kyla Atienza, her teammates in Creamline.
Completing the squad are Gel Cayuna, Glaudine Troncoso, Kath Arado, Dell Palomata, Cherry Nunag, Kat Tolentino, and Mylene Paat.
Calling the shots for the national is widely-renowned Brazilian tactician Jorge Edson Souza de Brito while Creamline’s head coach, Sherwin Meneses, will serve as the assistant coach.
Also part of the women’s staff are Cherry Rose Macatangay, Raffy Mosuela, Grace Gomez, and Ma. Fe Moran, their team manager.
The Filipinas will look to bounce back from a fourth-place finish during the last edition of the SEA Games held in Quang Ninh, Vietnam.
