The 2024–25 Zus Coffee Thunderbelles season was the inaugural season of the Zus Coffee Thunderbelles in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL). The team was known as Strong Group Athletics before renaming ahead of the 2024 Reinforced Conference.
Ahead of the 2024–25 All-Filipino Conference, the team signed volleyball veteran Jovelyn Gonzaga from the Cignal HD Spikers before doing a sister team transfer with the Farm Fresh Foxies, which saw three of its players move to Zus Coffee. Despite a 2–1 start throughout November, the team wasn't able to continue the momentum, finishing the preliminary round with a 4–7 record with 14 points, ending up at ninth place. After a loss to the PLDT High Speed Hitters in the qualifying round, the team was placed in Pool A of the play-in tournament. They first beat Cignal in five sets, and with a four-set victory over the Capital1 Solar Strikers, the team advanced to the final round. In the best-of-three quarterfinals against the Petro Gazz Angels, the Thunderbelles were able to sweep the first match, but were swept in the last two matches, ending their run in a reverse sweep.
Roster Zus Coffee ThunderbellesPlayerPositionHeightBirth dateSchool 1 Michelle GamitMiddle Blocker Benilde 3 Thea Gagate Middle Blocker DLSU Kate Santiago Outside Hitter Adamson Outside Hitter CPU Julia Angeles LiberoLetran 7 Jade GentapaOutside Hitter November 28, 2000 (age 23)Benilde 8 Cloanne Mondoñedo (C)SetterBenilde Gayle Pascual Opposite Hitter September 3, 1999 (age 24)Benilde Chinnie Pia ArroyoOutside Hitter NU Jenina Marie Zeta Libero UE Joan NaritMiddle Blocker Ateneo Sharya Ancheta Middle Blocker AdU Dolly Versoza Outside HitterJRU Nikka YandocSetterAdU Danivah Sheilo Aying Opposite Hitter USJ-R Opposite Hitter CPU Ypril Tapia Outside Hitter UST
Coaching staffPositionNameHead Coach Jerry YeeAssistant Coach 1 Rogelio GetiganAssistant Coach 2 Justine DorogStrength and Conditioning Coach Johnson BarisoTrainer Abigail MagptocTrainer Juana RoxasPhysiotherapist Christine MagtibayTeam Manager Jacob Lao
2024 All-Filipino Conference
Preliminary round
Standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 1 || February 20, 2024 || Petro Gazz || 0–3 || 44–75 | PhilSports Arena 335 || 0–1 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 2 || February 24, 2024 || Chery Tiggo || 0–3 || 48–75 | PhilSports Arena 1,563 || 0–2 || 0 | P2
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 3 || March 5, 2024 || Capital1 || 1–3 || 83–94 | PhilSports Arena 181 || 0–3 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 4 || March 12, 2024 || Creamline || 0–3 || 45–75 | PhilSports Arena 722 || 0–4 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 5 || March 19, 2024 || Cignal || 0–3 || 39–75 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 1,027 || 0–5 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 6 || March 23, 2024 || Galeries Tower || 0–3 || 43–75 | Ynares Center 1,469 || 0–6 || 0 | P2
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 7 || April 4, 2024 || Nxled || 0–3 || 47–75 | PhilSports Arena 340 || 0–7 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 8 || April 9, 2024 || PLDT || 0–3 || 50–75 | PhilSports Arena 507 || 0–8 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 9 || April 13, 2024 || Choco Mucho || 0–3 || 47–75 | PhilSports Arena 3,399 || 0–9 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 10 || April 18, 2024 || Farm Fresh || 0–3 || 47–75 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 8,264 || 0–10 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 11 || April 27, 2024 || Akari || 0–3 || 39–75 | PhilSports Arena 396 || 0–11 || 0 | P2
Draft
Round Pick Player Position School 1 1 Thea Gagate MB DLSU 2 13 Sharya Ancheta MB Adamson 3 19 Nikka Yandoc S Adamson 4 22 Jenina Zeta L UE
The Zus Coffee Thunderbelles selected Thea Gagate with the 1st overall pick along with three other draftees in the next three rounds.
Reinforced Conference
Preliminary round
Standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 1 || July 18, 2024 || Petro Gazz || 0–3 || 58–75 | PhilSports Arena 876 || 0–1 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 2 || July 23, 2024 || Cignal || 1–3 || 92–100 | PhilSports Arena 660 || 0–2 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 3 || July 27, 2024 || Choco Mucho || 1–3 || 82–89 | PhilSports Arena 1,843 || 0–3 || 0 | P2
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 4 || August 1, 2024 || Akari || 0–3 || 56–75 | PhilSports Arena 1,138 || 0–4 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 5 || August 6, 2024 || Capital1 || 1–3 || 82–93 | PhilSports Arena 1,295 || 0–5 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 6 || August 13, 2024 || PLDT || 0–3 || 44–75 | PhilSports Arena 1,536 || 0–6 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 7 || August 17, 2024 || Chery Tiggo || 0–3 || 55–75 | SM Mall of Asia Arena 890 || 0–7 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 8 || August 22, 2024 || Creamline || 0–3 || 54–75 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 919 || 0–8 || 0 | P2
2024–25 All-Filipino Conference
Preliminary round
Standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 1 || November 14, 2024 || Akari || 1–3 || 83–94 | Filoil EcoOil Centre 825 || 0–1 || 0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || November 19, 2024 || Nxled || 3–1 || 94–85 | Ynares Center 338 || 1–1 || 3 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 3 || November 28, 2024 || Galeries Tower || 3–0 || 75–57 | PhilSports Arena 659 || 2–1 || 6 | P2
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 4 || December 5, 2024 || Farm Fresh || 1–3 || 89–89 | Smart Araneta Coliseum 405 || 2–2 || 6 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fee | 5 || December 12, 2024 || Creamline || 2–3 || 114–111 | PhilSports Arena 2,299 || 2–3 || 7 | P2
|- bgcolor=#fee | 6 || January 18, 2025 || Choco Mucho || 2–3 || 103–105 | PhilSports Arena 2,875 || 2–4 || 8 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 7 || January 25, 2025 || Capital1 || 3–0 || 81–59 | PhilSports Arena 850 || 3–4 || 11 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 8 || January 30, 2025 || Chery Tiggo || 3–1 || 98–89 | PhilSports Arena 277 || 4–4 || 14 | P2
|- bgcolor=#fcc | 9 || February 4, 2025 || Petro Gazz || 1–3 || 92–102 | PhilSports Arena 715 || 4–5 || 14 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 10 || February 13, 2025 || Cignal || 1–3 || 76–96 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium 1,385 || 4–6 || 14 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 11 || February 22, 2025 || PLDT || 0–3 || 51–75 | City of Passi Arena 2,278 || 4–7 || 14 | P2
Qualifying round
Match log
|- bgcolor=#fcc | March 4, 2025 || PLDT || 1–3 || 89–96 | PhilSports Arena 789 | P2
Play-in tournament
Pool A standings
Match log
|- bgcolor=#efe | 1 || March 11, 2025 || Cignal || 3–2 || 107–105 | PhilSports Arena 677 || 1–0 || 2 | P2 |- bgcolor=#cfc | 2 || March 13, 2025 || Capital1 || 3–1 || 93–81 | PhilSports Arena 480 || 2–0 || 5 | P2
Final round
Bracket
Match log
|- bgcolor=#cfc | 1 || March 18, 2025 || Petro Gazz || 3–0 || 77–69 | PhilSports Arena 2,611 || 1–0 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 2 || March 22, 2025 || Petro Gazz || 0–3 || 58–78 | Ynares Center Antipolo 3,224 || 1–1 | P2 |- bgcolor=#fcc | 3 || March 25, 2025 || Petro Gazz || 0–3 || 63–75 | PhilSports Arena 608 || 1–2 | P2
Transactions
Additions Player Date signed Previous team Angelica Dacaymat Marikina Lady Shoemasters () Ayumi Furukawa Ateneo Blue Eagles () Chumcee Ann Caole Nasipit Lady Spikers () Dolly Verzosa JRU Lady Bombers () Grenlen Malapit Marikina Lady Shoemasters () Jan Angeli Cane Ateneo Blue Eagles () Jana Sta. Maria Nasipit Lady Spikers () Javen Sabas Kurashiki Ablaze () Jean Licauco Ateneo Blue Eagles () Justin Rebleza Marikina Lady Shoemasters () Lilet Mabbayad San Juan Lady Knights () Mary Joy Onofre Marikina Lady Shoemasters () Melanie Romero Marikina Lady Shoemasters () Merry Rose Jauculan UST Golden Tigresses () Nikkie Baldizanso UP Fighting Maroons () Noheli Cerdeña Nasipit Lady Spikers () Sarah Verutiao Quezon City Gerflor Defenders Sheeka Espinosa Nasipit Lady Spikers () Souzan Raslan Marinerang Pilipina Lady Skippers () Valiza Fornilos Ateneo Blue Eagles () Vira Guillema Marikina Lady Shoemasters () Benilde Lady Blazers () DLSU Lady Spikers () Adamson Lady Falcons () Adamson Lady Falcons () UE Lady Red Warriors () Farm Fresh Foxies Galeries Tower Highrisers Cignal HD Spikers Farm Fresh Foxies Farm Fresh Foxies Farm Fresh Foxies Cignal HD Spikers
Subtractions Player New team Angelica Dacaymat Free agent Chumcee Ann Caole Free agent Grenlen Malapit Free agent Jan Angeli Cane Free agent Jana Sta. Maria Free agent Javen Sabas Free agent Jean Licauco Free agent Justin Rebleza Free agent Lilet Mabbayad Free agent Melanie Romero Free agent Merry Rose Jauculan Free agent Nikkie Baldizanso Free agent Noheli Cerdeña Free agent Sarah Verutiao Free agent Sheeka Espinosa Free agent Souzan Raslan Free agent Valiza Fornilos Free agent Vira Guillema Free agent Ayumi Furukawa Capital1 Solar Spikers Nxled Chameleons
Foreign guest player Team Foreign player Moving from Zus Coffee Thunderbelles Asaka Tamaru Kurashiki Ablaze
Coaching changes Team Outgoing coach Manner of departure Replaced by Ref Zus Coffee Thunderbelles Rogelio Getigan Reassigned Jerry Yee
References