The Farm Fresh Foxies on Saturday announced they have signed up former Choco Mucho Flying Titans spiker Caitlin Viray, former F2 Logistics outside hitter Jolina dela Cruz, and former PLDT High Speed Hitters Anj Legacion to round up their nine-recruit announcement for the 2024 season.
Viray was part of the UST Golden Tigresses in UAAP Season 81, reaching the finals after a seven-year drought.
Reuniting with beach volleyball partner and indoors college team captain Sisi Rondina, Viray helped the Choco Mucho Flying Titans finish silver in the PVL Second All-Filipino Conference--their best so far in the league.
In Farm Fresh, Viray will be reunited this time with Season 81 libero Janel Delerio, along with fellow Tigress Ypril Tapia.
Meanwhile, Jolina dela Cruz was a high-caliber recruit for the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers, coming off the UAAP Season 85 title run with the DLSU Lady Spikers.
She and setter Mars Alba provided a boost for the Cargo Movers, even dropping career-highs before an injury took her out during F2 Logistics' last match of the PVL Second All-Filipino Conference preliminaries.
As for Anj Legacion, she stepped up for PLDT in their last preliminaries game against Petro Gazz in main setter Rhea Dimaculangan's absence.
Earlier on Saturday morning, joined the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers sweepstakes, signing up outside hitter Chinnie Arroyo from the now-disbanded team.
Arroyo saw limited minutes with the Cargo Movers, something the Foxies vowed to address.
"Starting this spectacular Saturday by welcoming a wing spiker that just needs a club team that will take a chance on her and give her the minutes on-court to prove she belongs," the Foxies wrote in their social media post.
Arroyo was part of the National University Lady Bulldogs squad, along with Princess Robles, Bella Belen, Sheena Toring, Jen Nierva, Ivy Lacsina, and Alyssa Solomon, which won the UAAP Season 84 women's volleyball championship.
Arroyo shared her gratitude in a message posted on social media.
"Thank you sa mga taong dahilan kung ba't 'di sumuko ang isang Chinnie hehe. Thank you to my ates sa F2 sa pag-guide sa 'kin and also to sir Robert Flavius na hindi nag-give up na hanapan ako ng team. And thank you din sa ibang naniniwala sakin 🥺🧡" she wrote.
The Foxies also signed up Arroyo's F2 Logistics teammate and opposite spiker Elaine Kasilag.
"From playing with veterans to joining a team full of young guns, she will switch it up and embrace being one of the leaders of the Foxies," the team wrote.
The Foxies also picked up middle blocker Jaycel delos Reyes from the Chery Tiggo Crossovers.
"After showing flashes of brilliance in the PVL last year, Jaycel delos Reyes is even hungrier now to further her growth as a middle blocker," the Foxies posted.
By Saturday afternoon, the Foxies then announced the pickup of libero Janel Delerio, who played for the UST Golden Tigresses.
"After an unexpected exit from the collegiate scene, Janel Delerio hustled all 2023 and joined all the tournaments she could just so she could regain her form. Today, it starts to pay off," Farm Fresh posted.
Delerio was part of the Sisi Rondina-helmed UST for UAAP Season 81, along with Caitlin Viray, Dimdim Pacres, Eya Laure, Alina Bicar, and KC Galdones. However, they fell short in the finals against the Ateneo Lady Eagles.
In Season 84, UST once again fell to Ateneo but in the stepladder semifinals. Delerio though figured second among the best receivers in that tournament.
Joining Delerio is her Season 84 teammate and UST outside hitter Ypril Tapia.
Their sixth announcement turned out to be libero Julia Angeles, who last suited up for the Galeries Tower Highrisers.
Farm Fresh announced the nine acquisitions in a bid to boost their campaign after a tenth place finish in the PVL Second All-Filipino Conference. The Adamson Lady Falcons and College of Saint Benilde core helped the Foxies get their first two wins in the league. However, they couldn't quite close other games despite the steady playmaking of Louie Romero and the firepower from Trisha Tubu and Kate Santiago.
So they signed up coach Hideo Suzuki of champion Japanese team Kurashiki Ablaze as consultant. They also underwent training with a Japanese consultant, Master Shimizu.
RELATED: PVL: Kate Santiago gets honest about ‘intense training’ under Farm Fresh’s Japanese consultant
Who was also there in practice? Chinnie Arroyo and Jaycel delos Reyes.
Check out the summary of PVL off-season moves here.