RHEA Dimaculangan-Villarete is now a Cool Smasher.
One of Phillipine volleyball's most heralded playmakers will join Creamline as one of its three reinforcements for the 2025 AVC Women's Champions League, a source told SPIN.ph.
She was also spotted in Creamline training gear in an Instagram story shared by team mainstay Michele Gumabao on Sunday.
READ: Staunton says Creamline return was a 'very easy' decision to make
Dimaculangan was lead setter for PLDT over the last three years before calling it quits just before the 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference to focus on life as a newlywed.
Like the Cool Smashers, the High Speed Hitters are also set to join the said regional tournament to be held at the Philippines from Apr. 20 to 27.
Since her departure, she took on deputy coaching duties for the University of the East men's volleyball team in UAAP Season 87.
The 34-year-old setter becomes Creamline's second reinforcement for the Asian meet after bringing back resident American import Erica Staunton.
Along with two-time best setter and reigning Invitational Conference Finals MVP Kyle Negrito, the former Philippine Superliga (PSL) MVP and three-time best setter looks to bring her veteran smarts to the 10-time PVL champion side once brought by now Japan-based ace Jia de Guzman.
She'll also be reunited with her former Petron teammates in the PSL in Bernadeth Pons and Denden Lazaro-Revilla.
Also among Dimaculangan's former teammates is no other than Creamline team captain Alyssa Valdez.
The veteran pair shared multiple tours of duty for the national team over the last decade, most notably in the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games held at the same Pasig City venue.
Not known to many is how Dimaculangan was actually Valdez' first setter back in high school when the latter used to play for University of Santo Tomas.
Creamline looks to make waves early on home soil in pool play against Kazakhstan's Zhetysu VC and Jordan's Al-Nassr.
But first, it has its sights set on a rare PVL five-peat and an 11th overall league title against fellow Philippine representative Petro Gazz in the best-of-three All-Filipino Conference finals beginning Apr. 8.
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