Alyssa Valdez would welcome the return of Erica Staunton and Jia De Guzman to strengthen Creamline's lineup for the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League.
Fresh off the confirmation of their participation in the 2025 AVC Women’s Champions League, Creamline is now setting its sights on assembling a formidable lineup for the continental tournament which runs from April 20 to 27 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
With the Cool Smashers allowed to bring in three reinforcements, team captain Alyssa Valdez expressed her excitement about the competition while acknowledging the challenge of preparing for international and domestic campaigns.
“We look forward to playing against the champion teams from different Asian countries, so we're very, very excited," Valdez said. "But we also have to focus on our campaign in this conference as All-Filipino."
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Among the possible reinforcements, two familiar names have emerged: American outside hitter Erica Staunton and star setter Jia De Guzman.
Staunton, who was instrumental in Creamline’s Grand Slam run last year, is seen as a strong candidate to return.
The American spiker was named Best Outside Hitter in the 2024 PVL Invitational Conference before briefly joining Jakarta Pertamina Energi in Indonesia’s Proliga.
“My wishlist definitely includes Erica. We want Erica to be back in our team," Valdez shared. "But of course, we trust coach Sherwin [Meneses] and our management on who they think can help us. We will welcome them wholeheartedly."
[ALSO READ: “Mahal ko kayo” | Erica Staunton hints at possible Creamline return after closing first PVL chapter]
Another familiar name linked to Creamline’s AVC campaign is Jia De Guzman.
The Alas Pilipinas team captain and eight-time PVL Best Setter remains a beloved figure among Cool Smashers fans, having orchestrated Creamline’s offense for years.
However, De Guzman's availability is in question as she is currently playing her second season with Denso Airybees in Japan’s V.League. It's possible as well that Denso's season wraps up by May, meaning that De Guzman will not be available for the AVC Women's Champion League.
“We really miss Jia, and we can’t wait to see her back in action wearing the pink jersey,” Valdez shared. “But we still don’t know her commitments with her contract outside Creamline and the national team. We’re just hoping and praying for the best possible lineup for the AVC Champions League.”
[ALSO READ: Creamline superstar Alyssa Valdez opens up on missing Jia De Guzman]
With Creamline looking to make a mark on the international stage, all eyes are on the team’s final roster decisions—whether familiar faces like Staunton and De Guzman will don the pink jersey once more.
(With reports from Luisa Morales/One Sports)