MANILA, Philippines — All is well for Choco Mucho head coach Dante Alinsunurin with his loaded playmaker situation.
Choco Mucho now has four setters on its rotation after selecting Filipino-American playmaker Tia Andaya in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Rookie Draft on Sunday night, June 8, at the Novotel Hotel in Manila.
Andaya became the 7th overall pick for the Class of 2025, and will now back up Deanna Wong, Mars Alba, and Jem Ferrer in orchestrating plays for Choco Mucho.
With Choco Mucho’s move on the Rookie Draft, some online volleyball fans speculated that one setter would leave the squad.
Selecting another playmaker in the draft, head coach Dante Alinsunurin explained that the team’s pick is for the “betterment of the team.”
“What’s important for us is that we were able to select the draftee that we are eyeing. On our trainings, that’s when we will know on what we should do or who will be main setter for the team. What’s important for us is that we picked the top 12 in that pool,” he said.
Overall, the head tactician is happy and grateful to acquire Andaya, and Adamson University’s middle-blocker Jen Villegas.
“Well, the players we drafted, I’m so thankful we got them, we got her (Tia). I know she’ll be a big help in Choco Mucho’s game because based on what we want, on our system,” he said.
“I want the spiker to have more of an advantage, but it’s not always like that. But as I said, the one I chose will be a great help to us, no matter what our goal is at every conference,” he added.
Andaya topped the Draft Combine after showing her high-leaping abilities with a 294-cm countermovement jump, and 307-cm approach jump. Andaya played at Central Washington University.
