Filipina volleyball star Jia de Guzman is set to continue her journey in Japan as she returns to the Denso Airybees for the 2024-25 SV.League season.
This marks another chapter in her successful stint with the Airybees, where she has made a significant impact on and off the court.
De Guzman played a pivotal role in Denso’s recent triumph, leading the team to victory in the Japan V Cup, a prestigious pocket tournament held immediately after the regular V.League season.
Her playmaking and leadership helped Denso secure a fifth-place finish in the V.League Division 1 with a 12-10 record, solidifying her reputation as one of the top setters in the league.
As the Airybees prepare for the upcoming season, they will be competing in the newly formed SV.League, Japan’s highest level of professional volleyball.
The restructuring of the V.League has unified the divisions, allowing former Division 2 and 3 teams to compete alongside top-tier squads. Among the teams entering this expanded competition is Kurashiki Ablaze, the reigning champions of the 2023 PVL Invitational Conference.
Jia de Guzman isn’t the only Filipino excelling in Japanese volleyball. Jaja Santiago, another star from the Philippines, continues to thrive in Japan, where she has earned numerous individual awards over her six-year career with Ageo Medics and JT Marvelous.
On the men’s side, Marck Espejo, a Spikers’ Turf star, recently announced that he will be joining Kubota Spears Osaka for the upcoming V.League season, adding to the growing list of Filipino players making their mark internationally.
As Filipino athletes continue to elevate their game on the global stage, the 2024-25 season promises to be another exciting chapter for De Guzman and her fellow compatriots in Japan.
