Zus Coffee Thunderbelles

Zus Coffee Thunderbelles
Short nameZus Coffee
NicknameThunderbelles
Founded2024
OwnerStrong Group Athletics
Head coachJerry Yee
CaptainCloanne Mondoñedo
LeaguePremier Volleyball League
2025 ReinforcedRunner-up

The Zus Coffee Thunderbelles (stylized as ZUS Coffee) are a professional women's volleyball team in the Philippines competing in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL). The team is owned by Strong Group Athletics, founded by Frank Lao, who has a stake in the Malaysian-based coffee chain Zus Coffee.[1]

The team made their team debut in the 2024 PVL All-Filipino Conference under the name Strong Group Athletics following the organization's take over of the Quezon City Gerflor Defenders franchise. The Thunderbelles are one of two teams owned by SGA, the other being the Farm Fresh Foxies.

History

Background

Further information: Quezon City Gerflor Defenders

During the 2023 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference, the Quezon City Gerflor Defenders were put under investigation by the league due to financial issues.[2][3][4] The roster's unpaid salaries were eventually settled by Strong Group Athletics, backers of the Farm Fresh Foxies. On January 13, 2024, it was announced that the organization would take over the Gerflor franchise beginning with the 2024 Premier Volleyball League season, and were established as the organization's second team after Farm Fresh.[5][6] The day after, SGA founder Frank Lao announced that the team will be named Strong Group Athletics, following the success of the eponymous basketball team.[7]

First seasons

They made their PVL debut at the 2024 All-Filipino Conference, with Rogelio Getigan named as the team's first head coach.[8][9][10]

In May 27, 2024, the team announced that it would rebrand to the Zus Coffee Thunderbelles following Strong Group Athletics' partnership with Zus Coffee, a Malaysian coffee brand in which Lao has a stake in. They also announced that Jerry Yee, head coach of the Benilde Lady Blazers volleyball team, would succeed Getigan as head coach beginning with the 2024 Reinforced conference.[11] On June 24, Zus Coffee won the first overall pick in the inaugural PVL draft lottery,[12] which they used to select Thea Gagate during the 2024 Premier Volleyball League draft.[13]

In the 2024–25 All-Filipino Conference, the Thunderbelles reached the quarterfinals for the first time. The team won the first match of the best-of-three series against the Petro Gazz Angels, but lost the next two and were eliminated.[14] Zus Coffee reached their first ever PVL finals at the 2025 Reinforced Conference.[15][16] They lost the bid for a tournament title against the Petro Gazz Angels.[17]

Names

Current roster

Main article: 2025 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference
Zus Coffee Thunderbelles roster
No. Nat. Player Pos. Height DOB From
1 Mycah Go Outside Hitter (2002-04-15) April 15, 2002 St. Benilde
2 Caroline Santos Middle Blocker 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) De La Salle
3 Thea Gagate Middle Blocker 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) (2000-07-06) July 6, 2000 De La Salle
4 Kate Santiago Outside Hitter 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) (2002-01-26) January 26, 2002 Adamson
5 Glaudine Troncoso Outside Hitter 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) (1997-10-13) October 13, 1997 Central Philippine
6 Julia Angeles Libero 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) (1998-09-01) September 1, 1998 Letran
7 Jade Gentapa Outside Hitter 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) (2000-11-28) November 28, 2000 St. Benilde
8 Jovelyn Gonzaga Opposite Hitter 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) (1991-10-31) October 31, 1991 Central Philippine
9 Gayle Pascual Opposite Hitter 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) (1999-09-03) September 3, 1999 St. Benilde
10 Chinnie Pia Arroyo Outside Hitter 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) (2001-05-19) May 19, 2001 National-U
11 Wielyn Estoque Outside Hitter 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) (2001-04-08) April 8, 2001 St. Benilde
12 Renee Mabilangan Setter 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) (2000-12-29) December 29, 2000 National-U
13 Sharya Ancheta Middle Blocker 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) (1999-11-25) November 25, 1999 Adamson
14 Dolly Versoza Outside Hitter 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) (1998-03-10) March 10, 1998 José Rizal
15 Alexis Ciarra Miner Middle Blocker (2003-01-21) January 21, 2003 Ateneo
16 Alyssa Eroa Libero 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) (1996-09-06) September 6, 1996 San Sebastian
17 Fiola Ceballos Outside Hitter 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) (1994-06-21) June 21, 1994 Central Philippine
18 Anna DeBeer Outside Hitter 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) (2001-09-25) September 25, 2001 Louisville
19 Riza Nogales Middle Blocker (2002-12-03) December 3, 2002 UE
21 Cloanne Mondoñedo (C) Setter 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) (2000-11-16) November 16, 2000 St. Benilde
24 Maika Ortiz Middle Blocker 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) (1991-08-30) August 30, 1991 UST
Updated as of: September 19, 2025 | Source: PVL.ph


Season-by-season records

Season Conference Preliminary round Final round Ranking Source
2024
(team) 		All-Filipino 12th (0–11, 0 pts) Did not qualify 12th place [18]
Reinforced 12th (0–8, 0 pts) Did not qualify 12th place [19]
Invitational Did not qualify
2024–25
(team) 		All-Filipino 9th (4–7, 14 pts) Lost in quarterfinals vs. Petro Gazz, 1–2[a] 7th place [20]
PVL on Tour 5th (2–3, 7 pts) (Pool A) Lost in quarterfinals vs. PLDT, 0–3 7th place [21]
Invitational[b] 6th (0–5, 0 pts) Did not qualify 6th place [22]
Reinforced 2nd (7–1, 20 pts) Won in quarterfinals vs. Capital1, 3–0
Won in semifinals vs. PLDT, 3–0
Lost in championship vs. Petro Gazz, 1–3 		Runner-up [23]
Notes
  1. ^ Best-of-three series.
  2. ^ Despite not qualifying initially, Zus Coffee accepted the invitation to join the 2025 Invitational Conference.

Individual awards

Team captains

  • Dolly Verzosa (2024)
  • Cloanne Mondoñedo (2024–present)

Head coach

Imports

References

  1. ^ "Philippine's billionaire Frank Lao buys 35% stake in Malaysian coffee shop Zus". The Star. Star Media Group Bhd. March 22, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  2. ^ "PVL probes Gerflor over allegations of delayed salaries, mistreatment". Spin.ph. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  3. ^ "PVL puts Gerflor under investigation". Tiebreaker Times. November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  4. ^ Agcaoili, Lance (November 9, 2023). "Gerflor team playing through low morale in PVL amid financial woes". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  5. ^ Dannug, Jonash (January 13, 2024). "SGA takes over Gerflor in PVL". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  6. ^ "Strong Group joins PVL, takes over Gerflor franchise". GMA News. January 13, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  7. ^ "Frank Lao sticks familiar basketball brand on new volleyball squad". INQUIRER.net. January 14, 2024. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  8. ^ Garcia, John Mark (February 21, 2024). "Versoza thankful to SGA for giving PVL chance to players 'without connections'". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  9. ^ "Jerry Yee takes helm, picks up Benilde seniors to form Zus Coffee". Tiebreaker Times. May 27, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  10. ^ Bautista, Ohmer (February 15, 2024). "PVL: SGA tempers expectations with All-Filipino Conference lineup". One Sports. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  11. ^ "PVL: Strong Group rebrands as Zus Coffee Thunderbelles and with Jerry Yee as new coach". One Sports. May 27, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  12. ^ Agcaoili, Lance (June 24, 2024). "ZUS Coffee gets top pick for inaugural PVL Rookie Draft". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  13. ^ Demigillo, Kiko (July 8, 2024). "No surprise: Thea Gagate selected first overall by ZUS Coffee in inaugural PVL Rookie Draft". One Sports. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  14. ^ Navarro, June (March 25, 2025). "PVL: Petro Gazz ousts ZUS Coffee to complete semifinals cast". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
  15. ^ Garcia, John Mark (November 28, 2025). "Is ZUS Coffee really the underdog in PVL Finals vs Petro Gazz?". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved November 29, 2025.
  16. ^ Garcia, John Mark (November 29, 2025). "'Ate Jov' helps steer young ZUS Coffee to breakthrough finals". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved November 29, 2025.
  17. ^ a b Dannug, Jonash (November 30, 2025). "Petro Gazz powers past ZUS Coffee to reclaim PVL Reinforced crown". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
  18. ^ "Akari cruises past Strong Group, finishes 7th". Premier Volleyball League. April 27, 2024. Archived from the original on April 27, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  19. ^ "Creamline clinches No.3 seed, clobbers ZUS Coffee". Premier Volleyball League. August 22, 2024. Archived from the original on August 22, 2024. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  20. ^ "Petro Gazz stays cool under fire to sweep Zus Coffee, completes semis cast". Premier Volleyball League. March 25, 2025. Archived from the original on March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  21. ^ "PLDT cruises to semis behind Davison's return, net dominance". Retrieved August 7, 2025.
  22. ^ "Creamline barges into bronze medal match, thwarts ZUS Coffee". Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  23. ^ "Petro Gazz reignites to take third PVL Reinforced title". Retrieved November 30, 2025.
  24. ^ "Kurashiki's Asaka Tamaru to strengthen Zus Coffee". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  25. ^ "ZUS Coffee taps US NCAA standout Anna DeBeer for PVL Reinforced push". Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  26. ^ Dannug, Jonash (September 19, 2025). "ZUS Coffee lands American spiker DeBeer in bid to erase Reinforced Conference struggles". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
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