TEAM Army and Team Cebu have joined six other teams in the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix, raising the level of competition even more for the tournament that gets going on Oct. 10 in Biñan, Laguna.
Superliga president Ramon “Tats” Suzara said they will soon announce the corporate backers of the two additional squads as well as their foreign reinforcements.
“They (Army and Cebu) have given the field even more depth, and with the arrival of the imports in the coming weeks, we are expecting our biggest conference ever in the three years of the league,” said Suzara.
Army, which has won three Superliga conferences, will be made up of former Most Valuable Player and crowd-favorite Jovelyn Gonzaga, skipper Tina Salak, veterans Michelle Carolina, Jing Balse, Nene Bautista and Honey Royse Tubino, Genie Sabas, Sarah Jane Gonzales, Mary Remy Palma and liberos Tin Agno and Patricia Torres.
Team Cebu will be led by captain Jill Gustillo and libero Marleen Cortel. Also seeing action are Ma. Abigail Praca, Therese Maureen Veronas, Danika Gendrauli, Sam Dawson, Lilit Mabayyad, Janet Serafica, Marlyn Llagoso, Norie Jane Diaz, Jerra Mae Pacino and Dian Ticar.
The two teams will be up against the league mainstays, led by back-to-back champion Petron, which will be led by Aby Maraño, Rachel Daquis, Dindin Manabat and imports Erica Adachi and Rupia Inck Furtado.
Meralco-La Salle will hinge its fortunes on Mika Reyes, Cha Cruz, Stephanie Mercado and imports Liis Kullerkan and Christina Alessi.
RC Cola will have Linda Morales and Sarah McClinton as reinforcements. The locals are led by Judy Caballejo, Wendy Semana, Joy Cases, Maika Ortiz and Rhea Dimaculangan.
Cignal is fielding April Ross Hingpit, Wensh Tiu and Angelique Dionela with Amanda Anderson and Ariel Usher as imports; Philips Gold will rely on Myla Pablo, Michele Gumabao along with imports Bojana Todorovic and Alexis Olgard, while Foton will lean on Jaja Santiago, Patty Orendain, Angeli Araneta and imports Lindsay Stalzer and Katie Messing.