FILE–MJ Perez. Photo By Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — MJ Perez is returning to Manila five years after her last stint in the country and will take her act to Cignal in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference starting on July 16.
The HD Spikers on Wednesday welcomed the former Venezuela national team player, who is no longer a stranger to the Philippine volleyball scene.
The 36-year-old Perez is a former Philippine Superliga Grand Prix MVP in 2017, leading the defunct F2 Logistics to a championship. She also served as import for the Cargo Movers in 2018 and 2019 before the club moved to PVL in 2021 and debuted in the following year but the squad was disbanded last December.
Perez last saw action in Egypt with the Alexandria Sporting Club in the previous season. She played in Vietnam with the Than Quang Ninh Volleyball Club two years ago and also excelled in Indonesia and emerged as a decorated player in Venezuela.
Cignal is seeking to return to the PVL Reinforced Conference finals after their breakthrough two years ago with import Tai Bierria but fell to Petro Gazz in the series.
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Perez’s arrival is a timely boost for the HD Spikers, who could miss Dawn Macandili-Catindig and Vanie Gandler due to their commitments to Alas Pilipinas.
Cignal missed the semifinals of the previous All-Filipino Conference as Perez teams up with former PSL rivals Ces Molina and coach Shaq Delos Santos, who is also banking on Gel Cayuna, Jovelyn Gonzaga, Ria Meneses, and Rose Doria.
Perez was the sixth PVL import unveiled hours after Choco Mucho welcomed Greek Spiker Zoi Faki. Capital1 brought Russian outside spiker Marina Tushova, Creamline will be baking on American spiker Erica Staunton, Chery Tiggo brought back Khat Bell in the Philippines, and PLDT will be running it back with its previous Russian reinforcement Elena Samoilenko.