Awesome Nation just got more juggernauts.
The defending Spikers' Turf Open Conference champions Cignal HD Spikers announced a haul of reinforcements on Wednesday, bridging the transition with the South Korea-bound Marck Espejo.
Leading the sign-ups is 2023 Open Conference MVP Jao Umandal, whose Cotabato Spikers gave Cignal tough competition during the finals.
Umandal is familiar with the HD Spikers, having played with Espejo, JP Bugaoan, Manuel Sumanguid III, Ysay Marasigan, and Rex Intal for the 2021 Southeast Asian Games.
Jao was also in South Korea as one of the Pinoy hopefuls during the Korean V-League Asian Player Quota draft. Open Conference Finals MVP Espejo though was the only male Philippine player chosen, drafted third by the Incheon Korean Air Jumbos. Espejo will join Petro Gazz Angels' MJ Phillips, who was the first Filipina selected in the league.
Joining Umandal in wearing the red jersey is fellow 2023 SEA Games national team member and middle blocker Lloyd Josafat. He's also coming from the Cotabato Spikers.
Another outside hitter, Ruvince Abrot, will be joining Cignal. He was one of the standouts from the Vanguard Volley Hitters during the Open Conference.
And rounding up the Cignal recruits is Mark Calado.
The powerhouse outside hitter helped the FEU Tamaraws beat the DLSU Green Spikers in the first round of the stepladder semifinals in the recent UAAP Season 85.
(GM)