ALL eyes will be on ZUS Coffee’s No. 1 pick overall, Thea Gagate, in the PVL All-Filipino Conference.
The 6-foot-2 middle blocker is set to make her debut in the longer edition of the import-less meet with the Thunderbelles of coach Jerry Yee.
Gagate, 24, missed the last Reinforced Conference and Invitational Conference due to national team duties with the Alas Pilipinas women’s volleyball team.
“So excited for what’s going to come,” Gagate posted on her social media account after the team’s official photo shoot ahead of the tournament last week.
Gagate is expected to shine for ZUS Coffee, formerly known as the Strong Group Athletics, but the Thunderbelles are hard-pressed to prove their worth.
She was a star in the collegiate ranks with La Salle, winning the UAAP Season 85 championship and bagging three Best Middle Blocker plums in the league.
In her coming debut, she will work together with former College of St. Benilde aces and NCAA champions Cloanne Mondonedo, Michelle Gamit, and Gayle Pascual.
Last week, the Thunderbelles acquired veteran opposite hitter Jovelyn Gonzaga to boost their youth-laden roster.
In addition, ZUS Coffee also added Kate Santiago, Joan Narit and Chinnie Arroyo from sister-team Farm Fresh Foxies for the All-Filipino joust set to kick off on Nov. 9.
