ZUS Coffee reloads with five additions ahead of All-Filipino Conference 

Momentum has become a valuable currency for ZUS Coffee, and the Thunderbelles are clearly intent on cashing it in heading into the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference. 

After turning heads in the previous conference, the league’s once-overlooked squad is leaning into growth rather than standing pat, reshaping its roster with a calculated mix of prime contributors and battle-tested leaders.

On Monday, ZUS Coffee formally unveiled five new reinforcements — Cess Robles, Renee Peñafiel, Karen Verdeflor, Chie Saet, and Rachel Daquis — signaling an aggressive push to transform last season’s breakthrough into sustained contention. The announcement underlined the franchise’s belief that progress demands both fresh legs and steady hands.

“Let’s make it official! Welcome to the ZUS Coffee family, Karen Verdeflor, Ren Peñafiel, Cess Robles, Chie Saet, and Rachel Anne Daquis! Tuloy ang trabaho! Tuloy ang laban,” the team wrote in a Facebook post.

At the center of that influx is Robles, who arrives from Chery Tiggo with the profile of a scorer capable of carrying stretches of offense. 

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DAQUIS JOINS ZUS COFFEE

Rachel Daquis moves to ZUS Coffee for the 2026 PVL season.

She was formely part of Farm Fresh, ZUS Coffee’s sister team under Strong Group Athletics. #PVL2026 @spinph pic.twitter.com/zCNvsMoTL5

— John Mark Garcia (@johnmarkdg_) January 26, 2026

Her addition gives head coach Jerry Yee another reliable option on the wing, while Peñafiel and Verdeflor bolster the team’s depth with versatility across multiple rotations, particularly on defense and serve reception.

The Thunderbelles’ makeover is not just about production, but presence. Daquis, after a quiet stint with Farm Fresh, brings a familiar voice into the locker room as she reunites with longtime friend Jovelyn Gonzaga. 

Alongside veteran setter Chie Saet, she adds experience and composure to a group that learned quickly last season but still felt the growing pains of youth.

These newcomers slot into a foundation that is already taking shape, anchored by Cloanne Mondonedo’s playmaking, the continued rise of Thea Gagate, and the steady contributions of AC Miner, Alyssa Eroa, Riza Nogales, Chinnie Arroyo, and Gonzaga. 

With continuity now paired with credibility, ZUS Coffee enters the All-Filipino Conference not as a feel-good story, but as a team intent on proving its surge was no fluke.

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