Eya Laure will bring her talent and energy to a new home. —UAAP MEDIA
For someone who had to wrestle with the idea of finally leaving University of Santo Tomas (UST), it was important that Eya Laure felt right at home in her next career stop.
So it wasn’t really quite a surprise that she chose Chery Tiggo. She’s got family there, literally.
“I’m happy that I get to play with ate (EJ Laure) again,” the star hitter said. “It’s really different if she’s there.”Eya’s decision to join the Crossovers reunites the Laure sisters anew, and that reunion was an ace that gave Chery Tiggo an edge among all those who wanted to sign the talented Tigress.
That Laure will be joined by UST middle blocker Imee Hernandez, who also opted to sign with the Crossovers, was a big bonus.
“I’m also excited to join my former teammates like Imee, ate B (former UST setter and captain Alina Bicar), ate My (Paat), ate Ponggay (Gaston), ate Buding (Duremdes) and Jen (Nierva),” Laure added.
Laure played with Paat and Duremdes during a previous appearance with the franchise while Gaston was a former teammate at UST high. National U star Nierva, meanwhile, was a teammate of Laure in the national team.
Chery Tiggo made Eya Laure its final reveal in a bumper crop of recruits ahead of the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference.
Laure, the most sought-after standout from the college ranks, will join fellow recruits Hernandez, Nierva and Lady Bulldogs standouts Cess Robles and Joyme Cagande with the Crossovers.
The reigning back-to-back UAAP Best Scorer admitted in an emotional social media post that she agonized over the decision to leave UST, where she had spent almost half her life, and even looked for a way to suit up one more year before deciding to finally leave the Tigresses.
“It feels like I am breaking up with thousands of people and my heart is shattering into pieces. It’s painful and hard to say goodbye,” Laure said in her post, where she revealed that her only regret was leaving the España squad without a title.
“I am sorry that I failed to give you the championship that you deserve,” Laure said. “You (UST supporters) always praise me because you say ‘I really love UST.’ But I hope you know that you taught me that.”