A TIGRESSKIND OF LOOK
Choco Mucho came up with a bang of an announcement to start 2026, when at the stroke of midnight, the Flying Titans proudly posted the signing of Eya Laure, a development that struck close to home for Sisi Rondina.
Rondina shared the post with crying emojis as she reunites with Laure, Alina Bicar and Caitlin Viray, all vital members of the Tigresses during her last playing year in 2019, when she won the UAAP Season 81 MVP award and led UST to the finals.
Choco Mucho came out on top of the Laure sweepstakes as they have been pursuing the star outside spiker, who opted for a contract buyout with Chery Tiggo last year that forced her to sit out of the PVL for over a year because of a noncompete clause.
Still so very good despite commercial play inactivity, Laure spent her time away from the PVL representing Alas Pilipinas, leading the Nationals to a historic runner-up finish in the AVC Nations Cup in Vietnam last June. She also won a pair of bronze medals in the SEA V.League and was part of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games team in Thailand that lost in the bronze medal game to Indonesia.
Big things to come?
It’s a sign of big things to come for the Flying Titans, who missed the playoffs in the remainder of 2025 after former PVL MVP Rondina focused on beach volleyball and won a historic gold medal in the SEA Games, ending Thailand’s eight-edition reign.
Rondina and Laure last played together for the Alas Pilipinas team in 2024 and before that, were in the UAAP during Rondina’s farewell year, where she turned over the mantle of leadership to a then-rookie in Laure.
The pair were the Best Outside Spikers of Season 81. Rondina won MVP and Laure was the top rookie.
They led UST to the finals with Viray and Bicar, only to settle for silver against Ateneo, which was led by Maddie Madayag, Kat Tolentino and Deanna Wong.
Interestingly, the core members of both Season 81 finalists will now be playing for one team.
Laure, who is currently in the United States with her family, is expected to make up for lost time and make an immediate impact for Choco Mucho after two All Filipino Conference finals appearances in 2024.
A horde of setters
Viray, who made a breakthrough with Choco Mucho in 2023 but transferred to Farm Fresh the following year, came back home, hoping to settle an unfinished business.
Bicar solidifies the setter options with Wong, rookie Tia Andaya and Jem Ferrer after Choco Mucho signed her when Chery Tiggo disbanded its volleyball team despite a silver medal finish in the PVL on Tour.
Choco Mucho also signed a young middle blocker in Jaila Atienza from Nxled after letting go of two middles, Cherry Nunag and Aduke Ogunsanya as well as Royse Tubino and libero Bia General.
