.jpg)
Cignal's recruitment drive showed no signs of slowing down, with the HD Spikers officially signing Erika Santos for the upcoming Premier Volleyball League season, the team announced Friday.
Santos is the fourth free agent signed by Cignal in a busy offseason that saw the team also add the likes of Tin Tiamzon, Heather Guino-o, and Ethan Arce earlier this month.
The 5-foot-9 opposite spiker turned pro in 2022 and spent four seasons with PLDT before parting ways with the club after the 2024-25 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.
Santos quickly earned a spot in the rotation with her strong showing in her debut conference and went on to become a key contributor for the High Speed Hitters.
In her final season with the team, the 24-year-old opposite ranked 17th overall in scoring in the 2024–25 All-Filipino Conference with 161 points.
Santos also placed sixth among all opposite spikers in total points and ranked sixth in spiking efficiency with a 32.84% success rate.
"Very thankful and grateful ako now for Coach Shaq and all of the Cignal HD Spikers management. Sana madala ko yun napakita ko this past season here and I'm also looking to improve more under our coaches and trainers dito," said the former De La Salle University standout.
"Kahit na red uniform pa rin, it's a new chapter in my career now so I'm looking forward to it and helping this team reach the heights they really want which is the PVL championship," she added.
Cignal is currently in the process of retooling its roster, looking to reinforce the core led by Alas Pilipinas stars Dawn Catindig, Vanie Gandler, and rising star Ishie Lalongisip.
With Santos in tow, HD Spikers head coach Shaq delos Santos is hoping that her experience, versatility, and scoring ability will bolster the team’s offensive firepower and add depth to their rotation heading into the upcoming conference.
"We need some more experience kasi sa team naming to, and sana yun mga years ni Erika with La Salle and PLDT, na-gain na nya yun mga kelangan nya na kelangan din namin sa team na to ngayon, which is scoring," said delos Santos.
"Hopefully she can make an impact agad dito samin and I'm planning to have her start dito sa Cignal."
