IT appears sister-team activity remains very much in play in the PVL.
Veteran volleyball star Rachel Daquis made a surprise move to sister team ZUS Coffee ahead of the 2026 PVL season, crossing over from Farm Fresh.
READ: Grading all PVL teams' offseason moves entering All-Filipino wars
The 38-year-old Philippine volleyball icon joined the Foxies in 2024 but saw limited action over the past year, with the team opting to give extended opportunities to its younger attackers.
When asked about the move, PVL control committee chairman Sherwin Malonzo explained why the league approved Daquis’ transfer to the other side of the Strong Group Athletics (SGA) stable.
“Dumaan sa akin [‘yung move] last year. Finished contract si Daquis. Nag-free agent siya after pero she decided to sign with ZUS,” Malonzo told SPIN.ph.
Daquis previously took time away from volleyball, embarking on a culinary venture that led to the opening of Forn de Manila, the first authentic Filipino bakery in Barcelona, Spain.
After seeing limited action during her stint with Farm Fresh, the veteran spiker now gets a fresh start in Thunderbelles blue, where a familiar face is set to welcome her back almost immediately.
‘GonzaQuis’ returns
Daquis’ move also sets the stage for the long-awaited reunion of the celebrated 'GonzaQuis' duo with ZUS Coffee mainstay Jovelyn Gonzaga, writing a new chapter in a partnership that dates back more than a decade.
The pair first joined forces in 2011 with the Philippine Army Lady Troopers before later anchoring Cignal during the heyday of the now-defunct Philippine Superliga.
Their partnership was interrupted in the early stages of the PVL’s pro era in 2021, when Daquis remained with the HD Spikers while Gonzaga was required to return to active duty and play for the Lady Troopers as a member of the Philippine Army.
After crossing paths again under the SGA umbrella in 2024, albeit on separate teams, the reunion now comes full circle with both stars set to suit up together for ZUS Coffee.
The much-anticipated 'GonzaQuis' pairing will be back on the same side of the court when the 2026 All-Filipino Conference tips off on January 31, giving the Thunderbelles both experience and chemistry as they look to replicate their deep run to the finals in last year's import-laced play.
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