IT’S official.
Thea Gagate emerged as the Premier Volleyball League’s (PVL) first-ever No. 1 pick by a newly-rebranded ZUS Coffee side in the inaugural PVL Draft on Monday at Novotel Manila Araneta City.
The two-time UAAP best middle blocker and Alas Pilipinas ace will carry her championship pedigree with La Salle to a rebuilding Thunderbelles squad that, as of writing, only has six confirmed players aside from Gagate.
"Of course I'm very grateful and honored na ako yung first pick nila. I appreciate na [nakita] nila yung efforts ko as an athlete," Gagate said.
Gagate trades La Salle green for ZUS Coffee blue alongside Strong Group Athletics holdovers Dolly Verzosa and Mary Joy Onofre, incoming College of St. Benilde stars Gayle Pascual, Mich Gamit, Jade Gentapa and reigning NCAA MVP Cloanne Mondoñedo.
Also set to boost ZUS Coffee as its very first import in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference is former PVL champion and best outside hitter Tamaru Asaka, who last played for Japanese guest team Kurashiki Ablaze that won the 2023 Invitational Conference over eight-time league winner Creamline.
Lady Spikers fill top-four in historic draft night
In a testament to just how good the program of La Salle is, the next three picks were also products of coach Ramil de Jesus.
Going second is Leila Cruz as she looks to be a ray of sunshine that the Capital1 Solar Spikers desperately need.
After missing half of Season 85 and all of Season 86 with a right ACL tear, Cruz gets a fresh start with the rebuilding Solar Spikers and under the wing of another veteran champion mentor in Roger Gorayeb.
Alas Pilipinas playmaker Julia Coronel rounded up the Lady Spiker top-three after being picked third by Galeries Tower.
Coronel shone as the lead playmaker of La Salle last season, and she'll be coming in with tons of experience after playing as the primary back-up to Jia Morado-De Guzman.
Maicah Larroza completed a top four lockout for the Lady Spikers, as La Salle's small but terrible ace second stringer makes her way to Farm Fresh.
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