The Flying Titan wants to finally step on to that podium, even if it means facing former teammate Ponggay Gaston.
Twice, the Choco Mucho Flying Titans had a shot of winning the bronze medal in the Premier Volleyball League. Twice, they missed. Twice in 2022, they completely failed to climb out of the preliminaries. Now, with a new coach, captain Bea De Leon wants that medal.
"I'm looking for a podium finish. Hopefully, this time we get it," De Leon told One Sports after Dante Alinsunurin was announced as the new head coach.
"It's very exciting to have him with us. He himself also really committed himself here. So we're very excited about that part and super thankful that he got the job."
Alinsunurin has mentored the men's squad of the National University to back-to-back titles, and even led the men's national team to a silver medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. He's also leading the NU-Archipelago Builders in the current edition of the Spikers' Turf. But this will be his first shot at leading a women's team at the pro level, replacing Oliver Almadro as head coach of Choco Mucho.
De Leon though says the Flying Titans are embracing his system, "Nangangapa pa kami but we're excited because Coach Dante teaches very well. And it's very exciting to be involved in a lot of the thinking and putting it all together."
"I hope we can bring out the best in ourselves," she adds.
De Leon also has plenty of love to share for former teammate Ponggay Gaston, who transferred to the Chery Tiggo Crossovers.
"I always know the potential of Pong. I've been working with her since college, I always see her passion and her hard work. Grabe 'yun magtrabaho," De Leon said.
In fact, BDL is nothing but supportive even if they will be seeing each other at the opposite sides of the net in the preliminaries of the All-Filipino Conference.
"Sana talaga this time, she gets to be her bestest, bestest, bestest self, because she has enormous potential," she said. "Good luck Pongs! I love you so much."