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Zus Coffee Thunderbelles

Short name	Zus Coffee
Nickname	Thunderbelles
Founded	2024
Owner	Strong Group Athletics
Head coach	Jerry Yee
Captain	Cloanne Mondoñedo
League	Premier Volleyball League
2024 Reinforced	12th place

The Zus Coffee Thunderbelles (stylized as ZUS Coffee) are a professional women's volleyball team in the Philippines that made their team debut in the 2024 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference under the name Strong Group.

Strong Group Athletics of Frank Lao also backs the Farm Fresh Foxies of the PVL. The Thunderbelles are currently named after Malaysian-based coffee chain Zus Coffee, a brand which Lao is also an investor of.

History

The Strong Group Athletics reportedly helped Premier Volleyball League club Quezon City Gerflor Defenders resolve its player salary issue which was first reported in November 2023, during the 2023 Second All-Filipino Conference. Gerflor would be effectively disbanded after the tournament.

In January 2023, it was announced that the Strong Group would be taking over Gerflor's franchise. It was Strong Group's second PVL team, the first being the Farm Fresh Foxies. They made their PVL debut at the 2024 All-Filipino Conference. Interim coach Rogelio Getigan led the team under the name "Strong Group Athletics" in their first tournament.

In May 2024 in the lead up to the Reinforced Invitational Conference, Strong Group rebranded as Zus Coffee Thunderbelles and will take effect at the upcoming PVL conference after made a partnership with Zus Coffee. The team also announced coach Jerry Yee as the new head coach.

Names

• Strong Group Athletics (2024 All-Filipino)
• Zus Coffee Thunderbelles (2024 Reinforced–present)

Current roster

Zus Coffee Thunderbelles
No.	Player	Position	Height	Birth date	School
1	Michelle Gamit	Middle Blocker	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)	(2000-05-09) May 9, 2000 (age 24)	Benilde
3	Thea Gagate	Middle Blocker	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	(2000-07-06) July 6, 2000 (age 24)	DLSU
4	Kate Santiago	Outside Hitter	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)	(2002-01-26) January 26, 2002 (age 22)	Adamson
5	Glaudine Troncoso	Outside Hitter	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)	(1997-10-13) October 13, 1997 (age 27)	CPU
6	Julia Angeles	Libero	1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)	(1998-09-01) September 1, 1998 (age 26)	Letran
7	Jade Gentapa	Outside Hitter	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)	November 28, 2000 (age 23)	Benilde
8	Cloanne Mondoñedo (C)	Setter	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)	(2000-11-16) November 16, 2000 (age 24)	Benilde
9	Gayle Pascual	Opposite Hitter	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)	September 3, 1999 (age 24)	Benilde
10	Chinnie Pia Arroyo	Outside Hitter	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)	(2001-05-19) May 19, 2001 (age 23)	NU
11	Jenina Marie Zeta	Libero	1.55 m (5 ft 1 in)	(1999-11-12) November 12, 1999 (age 25)	UE
12	Joan Narit	Middle Blocker	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)	(2000-12-04) December 4, 2000 (age 24)	Ateneo
13	Sharya Ancheta	Middle Blocker	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)	(1999-11-25) November 25, 1999 (age 25)	AdU
14	Dolly Versoza	Outside Hitter	1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)	(1998-03-10) March 10, 1998 (age 26)	JRU
16	Nikka Yandoc	Setter	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)	(2000-01-10) January 10, 2000 (age 24)	AdU
18	Danivah Sheilo Aying	Opposite Hitter	1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)	(2001-03-31) March 31, 2001 (age 23)	USJ-R
21	Jovelyn Gonzaga	Opposite Hitter	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)	(1991-10-31) October 31, 1991 (age 33)	CPU
22	Ypril Tapia	Outside Hitter	1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)	(2001-12-15) December 15, 2001 (age 23)	UST

Coaching staff Position Name Head Coach Jerry Yee Assistant Coach 1 Rogelio Getigan Assistant Coach 2 Justine Dorog Strength and Conditioning Coach TBA Trainer TBA Physiotherapist Christine Magtibay Team Manager Jacob Lao

Previous roster

2024

Reinforced Main article: 2024 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference Zus Coffee Thunderbelles No. Player Position Height Birth date School 1 Michelle Gamit Middle Blocker 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) (2000-05-09) May 9, 2000 (age 24) Benilde 3 Thea Gagate (NT) Middle Blocker 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) (2000-07-06) July 6, 2000 (age 24) DLSU 6 Julia Angeles Libero 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) (1998-09-01) September 1, 1998 (age 26) Letran 7 Jade Gentapa Outside Hitter 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) November 28, 2000 (age 23) Benilde 8 Cloanne Mondoñedo (C) Setter 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) (2000-11-16) November 16, 2000 (age 24) Benilde 9 Gayle Pascual Opposite Hitter 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) September 3, 1999 (age 24) Benilde 10 Dolly Versoza Outside Hitter 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) (1998-03-10) March 10, 1998 (age 26) JRU 11 Jenina Marie Zeta Libero 5 ft 1 in (1.55 m) (1999-11-12) November 12, 1999 (age 25) UE 13 Sharya Ancheta Middle Blocker 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) (1999-11-25) November 25, 1999 (age 25) AdU 14 Jaycel Delos Reyes Middle Blocker 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) (1999-07-14) July 14, 1999 (age 25) Ateneo 15 Asaka Tamaru (I) Outside Hitter 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) (1998-08-04) August 4, 1998 (age 26) Kyoto Sangyo University 16 Nikka Yandoc Setter 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) (2000-01-10) January 10, 2000 (age 24) AdU 17 Mary Joy Onofre Middle Blocker 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) (1997-05-28) May 28, 1997 (age 27) LPU 22 Ypril Tapia Outside Hitter 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in) (2001-12-15) December 15, 2001 (age 23) UST Danivah Sheilo Aying Outside Hitter 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) USJ-R Coaching staff Position Name Head Coach Jerry Yee Assistant Coach 1 Rogelio Getigan Assistant Coach 2 Justine Dorog Strength and Conditioning Coach TBA Trainer TBA Physiotherapist Christine Magtibay Team Manager Jacob Lao All-Filipino Main article: 2024 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference Strong Group Athletics No. Player Position Height Birth date School 1 Valiza Fornilos Opposite Spiker 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) (2002-01-22)January 22, 2002 (aged 22) ADMU 2 Jana Sta. Maria Universal 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) (1996-08-12)August 12, 1996 (aged 27) UE 3 Melanie Romero Libero 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) (1996-07-16)July 16, 1996 (aged 27) CSB 4 Jean Licauco Libero 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) (2001-05-18)May 18, 2001 (aged 22) ADMU 5 Noheli Cerdeña Middle Blocker 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) (1999-01-15)January 15, 1999 (aged 25) UPSHD 6 Sarah Verutiao Setter 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in) (1996-04-25)April 25, 1996 (aged 27) AU 7 Justine Rebleza Outside Hitter 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) (1998-11-27)November 27, 1998 (aged 25) FEU 8 Javen Sabas Outside Hitter 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) (1999-01-31)January 31, 1999 (aged 25) PUP 9 Chumcee Caole Setter 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) (1998-07-19)July 19, 1998 (aged 25) EC 10 Ayumi Furukawa Opposite Spiker 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) (1999-04-18)April 18, 1999 (aged 24) ADMU 11 Sheeka Espinosa Opposite Spiker 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) (1996-08-26)August 26, 1996 (aged 27) TIP 12 Vira Guillema Setter 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) (1995-05-09)May 9, 1995 (aged 28) SSC–R 13 Jan Angeli Cane Outside Hitter 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) (2001-01-28)January 28, 2001 (aged 23) ADMU 14 Dolly Versoza (C) Outside Hitter 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) (1998-03-10)March 10, 1998 (aged 25) JRU 15 Souzan Raslan Opposite Spiker 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) (1995-01-01)January 1, 1995 (aged 29) CDSL 17 Mary Joy Onofre Middle Blocker 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) (1997-05-28)May 28, 1997 (aged 26) LPU 18 Grenlen Malapit Middle Blocker 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) (1997-08-18)August 18, 1997 (aged 26) LPU 19 Nikkie Baldizanso Middle Blocker 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) (2002-02-16)February 16, 2002 (aged 22) UP 20 Lilet Mabbayad Middle Blocker 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) (1987-09-16)September 16, 1987 (aged 36) UST 22 Merry Rose Jauculan Universal 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) (2000-08-11)August 11, 2000 (aged 23) UST Coaching staff Position Name Head Coach Rogelio Getigan Assistant Coach 1 Jay Chua Assistant Coach 2 Justine Dorog Strength and Conditioning Coach Trainer Physiotherapist Christine Magtibay Team Manager Jacob Lao

Honors

Team

Individual

Season	Conference	Award	Name	Ref.
2024	Reinforced	Rookie of the Conference	Shayra Ancheta

Team captains

• Dolly Verzosa (2024)
• Cloanne Mondoñedo (2024–present)

Head coach

• Rogelio Getigan (2024)
• Jerry Yee (2024–present)

Imports

• Asaka Tamaru (2024)

References

1. "Philippine's billionaire Frank Lao buys 35% stake in Malaysian coffee shop Zus". The Star. Star Media Group Bhd. March 22, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
2. ^ Dannug, Jonash (January 13, 2024). "SGA takes over Gerflor in PVL". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
3. "PVL probes Gerflor over allegations of delayed salaries, mistreatment". Spin.ph. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
4. "PVL puts Gerflor under investigation". Tiebreaker Times. November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
5. Agcaoili, Lance (November 9, 2023). "Gerflor team playing through low morale in PVL amid financial woes". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
6. Dukha, Angel III (December 31, 2023). "Acaylar, disbanded Gerflor squad await their fates". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
7. "Strong Group joins PVL, takes over Gerflor franchise". GMA News. January 13, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
8. Garcia, John Mark (February 21, 2024). "Versoza thankful to SGA for giving PVL chance to players 'without connections'". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
9. "Jerry Yee takes helm, picks up Benilde seniors to form Zus Coffee". Tiebreaker Times. May 27, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
10. Bautista, Ohmer (February 15, 2024). "PVL: SGA tempers expectations with All-Filipino Conference lineup". One Sports. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
11. "PVL: Strong Group rebrands as Zus Coffee Thunderbelles and with Jerry Yee as new coach". One Sports. May 27, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
12. "Akari cruises past Strong Group, finishes 7th". Premier Volleyball League. April 27, 2024. Archived from the original on April 27, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
13. "Creamline clinches No.3 seed, clobbers ZUS Coffee". Premier Volleyball League. August 22, 2024. Archived from the original on August 22, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
14. Demigillo, Kiko (September 4, 2024). "'MVPons' finally real as Bernadeth Pons takes home PVL Reinforced Conference MVP and Finals MVP honors". One Sports. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
15. "Kurashiki's Asaka Tamaru to strengthen Zus Coffee". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved June 25, 2024.

• Premier Volleyball League
• Women's volleyball teams in the Philippines
• 2024 establishments in the Philippines