Tag: import

New-look Akari taps American import Oly Okaro

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Oly Okaro will be the Akari Chargers’ import for the upcoming PVL Reinforced Conference.–Photo from Akari

MANILA, Philippines — New-look Akari will be parading American import Oly Okaro in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference, which opens on July 16 at Philsports Arena.

The Chargers, who will be under a new coach in Taka Minowa, on Wednesday unveiled the 28-year-old opposite hitter as their reinforcement in the upcoming conference.

Akari will be banking on Okaro, who played in Greece for the last two seasons with Zaon Kifisias and ASP Thetis.

READ: PVL: Choco Mucho acquires Dindin Santiago-Manabat from Akari

The 6-foot-1 Okaro, who played for San Francisco University and Arizona State University in college, last saw action in Greece where she appeared in two seasons. She also had a stint in Finland.

Okaro will be teaming up with Akari newcomers Ivy Lacsina and Kamille Cal as well as returnees Dani Ravena and Cams Victoria, who were shipped from Nxled with Minowa.

Alas Pilipinas players Faith Nisperos and Fifi Sharma are unlikely to see action due to their commitments to the Philippine women’s volleyball team, leaving bigger shoes to fill in for mainstays Ced Domingo, Grethcel Soltones, Eli Soyud, and Michelle Cobb.

Akari holds the sixth overall pick in Monday’s inaugural PVL Rookie Draft at Novotel.

The Chargers debuted in the 2022 Reinforced Conference, placing eighth with PVL scoring record holder Prisilla Rivera. They haven’t reached the semifinals with back-to-back seventh-place finishes in the past two All-Filipino Conferences.

READ: PVL: Ricky Palou says reported Akari-Nxled trade ‘not allowed’

Akari, slated in Pool B with Choco Mucho, Petro Gazz, Cignal, and ZUS Coffee, starts its campaign against Capital1, which has Russian import Marina Tushova, on July 18 at Philsports Arena.

Meanwhile, Galeries, which has the No. 3 overall pick, will be banking on Brazilian import Monique Helena.



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Nine of the twelve PVL teams have already unveiled their imports with Cignal bringing back MJ Perez to Manila, Choco Mucho welcoming Greek Spiker Zoi Faki, ZUS Coffee signing Japanese Asaka Tamaru, Capital1 banking on Tushova, Creamline tapping  American spiker Erica Staunton, Chery Tiggo being reinforced by Khat Bell, and PLDT running it back with its previous Russian reinforcement Elena Samoilenko.

Defending champion Petro Gazz, Nxled, and Farm Fresh have yet to announce their reinforcements.

Creamline taps Erica Staunton as import for Reinforced tilt

On: By: admin


Erica Staunton is Creamline Cool Smashers’ import for the PVL Reinforced Conference. –CREAMLINE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Creamline is bringing American wing spiker Erica Staunton as its guest foreign player in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference in July.

The Cool Smashers on Thursday welcomed the former US NCAA player to bolster their roster in the import-laden tournament.

“We’re thrilled to announce that Erica Staunton, a dynamic 23-year-old open and opposite spiker from the USA, is joining the Creamline Cool Smashers family,” the team wrote. “Her talent, passion, and energy are sure to bring even more excitement to our team.”

READ: Creamline somehow still found way to remain on top of PVL

Staunton played for Northeastern University in Division 1 before she transferred to Georgia University.

The 6-foot-1 versatile spiker, who also has pro experience in Finland with the Oriveden Ponnistus, joins the winningest PVL club, which recently completed a historic ’four-peat’ in the All-Filipino Conference.

Staunton is teaming up with Alyssa Valdez, Bernadeth Pons, Michele Gumabao, Pangs Panaga, Bea De Leon, Kyle Negrito, and Denden Lazaro-Revilla.

The availability of Alas Pilipinas players Jia De Guzman, Tots Carlos, and Jema Galanza is still up in the air in the midseason conference as the nationals will play in several tournaments in the FIVB Challenger Cup and SEA V.League.

The Reinforced Conference title has been elusive for Creamline, which last won a championship with an import in 2018. The Cool Smashers lost to the Petro Gazz Angels five years ago and settled for bronze in 2022.

Creamline was the third PVL team to unveil its reinforcement as Chery Tiggo recently welcomed Khat Bell, while PLDT brought back Elena Samoilenko.

The top four teams in the Reinforced Conference will qualify for the Invitational Conference in September with two foreign guest clubs.



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