DINDIN Santiago-Manabat is joining compatriot Mylene Paat to reinforce Nakhon Ratchasima in the second round of the 17th Volleyball Thailand League.
Nakhon Ratchasima welcomed the 28-year old spiker in posts on social media on Thursday, giving its lineup a timely boost heading to the second leg of the tournament.
It will be the third overseas stint for the National University standout, having played for Toray Arrows in 2018 and Kurobe Aqua Fairies in 2019 in the Japan V.League.
He younger sister Jaja Santiago is currently based in Japan where she plays for reigning V.League champion Ageo Medics.
Paat and Co. hold a 4-3 (win-loss) record and are running in third place after the first round of the tournament.
Chery Tiggo confirms move
The Thai club later took down its post on Facebook, but Chery Tiggo team manager Ronwald Dimaculangan confirmed to Spin.ph that Manabat is indeed set to team up with Paat at Nakhon Ratchasima.
There are still no details on Manabat’s departure but she will be flying to Thailand as soon as possible, Dimaculangan added.
Dimaculangan assured Manabat and Paat will be back for Chery Tiggo’s title-retention bid in the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference, which is tentatively set either in late February or early March.
“It depends (on how long they will stay in Thailand) but rest assured that they will be back in time for the PVL,” he said.
Nakhon Ratchasima will open its second-round campaign against Khonkaen Star (4-3) on Saturday.
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