FILE – Ateneo coach Timothy Sto. Tomas. V-LEAGUE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines-The Petro Gazz Angels announced the appointment of their new head coach Timothy Sto. Tomas on Tuesday ahead of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference slated later this year.
“From being my player and a long time assistant and sharing in our triumphs and setbacks, we’ve both gained invaluable insights,” said Oliver Almadro, who previously led the Angels before being named head of volleyball operations of the Angels last week, in a statement released by Petro Gazz on social media.
One of the Ateneo program’s products, Sto. Tomas played for the Eagles from 2004 to 2009 before Almadro took Sto. Tomas under his wing as an assistant coach for the club.
The seasoned mentor Almadro took the helm for the Angels earlier this year from coach Rald Ricafort who shifted his focus to leading the PLDT High Speed Hitters.
Almadro led the Angels to an “unexpected” finals in March and to a ninth-place finish in the 13-team PVL Invitational Conference in July, something that the former Ateneo stalwart hopes to improve in the coming conference.
Sto. Tomas also calls the shots for the Ateneo Blue Eagles men’s volleyball team who is riding a hot streak early in their UAAP preparations in the ongoing V-League Collegiate Challenge.
“The team is in good hands and I’m happy for his well-deserved appointment,” Almadro said.
Making moves, Petro Gazz also added a recent recruit in libero Blove Barbon who previously played for a lone season with Foton.