Jaja Santiago

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In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Antonio and the surname or paternal family name is Santiago.
Alyja Daphne Santiago
Personal information
Full nameAlyja Daphne Antonio Santiago
NicknameJaja
NationalityPhilippines
Born (1996-01-20) January 20, 1996 (age 25)
Cavite, Philippines
HometownTanza, Cavite
Height1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)[1]
Weight72 kg (159 lb)
Spike319 cm (126 in)
Block302 cm (119 in)
College(s)National University
Volleyball information
PositionMiddle Blocker
Current clubSaitama Ageo Medics
Number3
Career
YearsTeams
2014–2015PLDT Home Ultera
2015–2019Foton Tornadoes
2021Chery Tiggo
2018–presentSaitama Ageo Medics
National team
2014–2018Philippines

Alyja Daphne "Jaja" Antonio Santiago (born January 20, 1996) is a Filipino volleyball player who currently plays for Saitama Ageo Medics of the Japan's V.League.

Personal life[]

Santiago was born on January 20, 1996,[2] the fourth of five siblings. Her brother Axel Leonard Santiago, a former champion of men's volleyball player in National University "NU Bulldogs" of UAAP Season 75, is currently working in PLDT and her older sister is working in Dubai, while she and her sister, Aleona Denise "Dindin" Santiago, both played for the women's volleyball in different leagues. Her father was former basketball player Jojo Santiago and her mother is Alma Antonio, a caregiver in Israel.[3]

Career[]

College[]

Santiago led the NU Lady Bulldogs to win back-to-back championships in the Shakey's V-League 13th Season Collegiate Conference without her sister Dindin to support her, despite that, she was crowned as the Conference Most Valuable Player award and the Best Middle Blocker. She was also crowned as the Most Valuable Player in the 2016 Philippine Super Liga Grand Prix in a back-to-back win with the Foton Tornadoes.

She started her rookie collegiate volleyball career with the UST Golden Tigresses, with her sister Dindin before transferring to National University to follow her sister. After being transferred from UST to the NU Lady Bulldogs, Santiago, now in her 4th year, served as the team captain. She was undecided if she was going to use her fifth and final year, after being eliminated by the UST Golden Tigresses in the UAAP Season 79 Women's Volleyball.[4]

She holds the record of the youngest player to ever play in Shakey's V-League. She joined NU as Guest Player in Season 7 Conference 2 at the age of 14.[5] She also holds the record of the tallest player so far in the Shakey's V-League as she stands 6'5".[6]

Club[]

Foton Tornadoes (2015–2018)[]

Her first professional team, the Foton Tornadoes, debuted in the 2015 Grand Prix Conference of the Philippine Super Liga (PSL) and played for 3 conferences (2015 Philippine Super Liga Grand Prix, 2016 Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino and 2016 Philippine Super Liga Grand Prix).[7]

In 2017, Santiago won the Premier Volleyball League 1st Season Collegiate Conference championship with the NU Lady Bulldogs and was named the conference MVP.[8][9] Also winning the bronze medal in the PSL Grand Prix Conference with the Foton Tornadoes along with the 1st Best Opposite Spiker award.[10][11]

PSL All Stars[]

Santiago was part of the PSL All Stars selection team formed to represent the hosts of the 2016 FIVB Club World Championship which was held in Manila.[12]

Ageo Medics (2018–2019)[]

Santiago joined Ageo Medics of Japan's V.League in 2018 for the 2018–19 season.[13][14][15]

Santiago playing for Ageo Medics.

Foton Tornadoes (2019)[]

Santiago returned the Philippines to feature for the Foton Tornadoes in the 2019 PSL All-Filipino Conference.[16] Following the conclusion of the tournament, she returned to Japan to play for Ageo Medics again.

Ageo Medics (2019–2021)[]

Santiago helped Ageo Medics clinched a bronze medal finish in the 2019–20 Division 1.[17]

Santiago renewed her contract with Ageo Medics in August 2020[18]She went on to help Ageo Medics win the Division 1 V.Cup title, which was the first for Santiago with a foreign club.[17] after she was unable to rejoin Foton, which renamed themselves as Chery Tigo, for the 2020 PSL Grand Prix which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[19][18]

Shortly after, Santiago bared that Ageo Medics has convinced her to change her citizenship to Japanese through naturalization which would enable the club to field her as a local. However, Santiago was non-committal and maintained that she still has pride in being a Filipino citizen.[20]

Chery Tiggo[]

Her contract with Ageo Medics expired after her 2021 V.Cup stint.[21] Santiago returned to the Philippines to play for the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Crossovers, which has transferred from the PSL to the newly fully-professionalized Premier Volleyball League (PVL).[22] She rejected offer to play for a club in Taiwan so she could play for Chery in the PVL.[23]

National team[]

She was also a member of the Philippine national team that played in Singapore during the 28th Southeast Asian Games and played in Kuala Lumpur, the 29th Southeast Asian Games.[citation needed]

Clubs[]

Awards[]

Individuals[]

Clubs[]

Special Recognition[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Player - Alyja Daphnie Santiago - FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship 2016". FIVB. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  2. ^ "UAAP 77 Athlete of the Day: Jaja Santiago". ABS-CBN Sports. ABS-CBN Corporation. December 29, 2014. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  3. ^ Olivares, Rick (November 17, 2013). "COLUMN: Dindin and Jaja Santiago's twin dreams". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  4. ^ Lozada, Mei-Lin (April 10, 2017). "Frustrated Jaja Santiago uncertain on playing final season with NU Lady Bulldogs". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  5. ^ Noguera, Al Kendrick (August 5, 2014). "GIVE ME FIVE featuring Jaja Santiago of NU Lady Bulldogs". GMA Network. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  6. ^ Bracher, Jane. "Jaja Santiago confident in leadership role with NU Lady Bulldogs". Rappler (February 8, 2016). Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  7. ^ Escarlote, Mark. "Volleyball: Foton claims repeat Grand Prix title". ABS-CBN News (December 10, 2016). Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  8. ^ Escarlote, Mark (October 14, 2017). "SWEEP VICTORY: NU claims PVL Collegiate Conference title". ABS-CBN Sports. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  9. ^ Escarlote, Mark (October 14, 2017). "Santiago named PVL Collegiate Conference MVP". ABS-CBN Sports. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  10. ^ Giongco, Mark (December 12, 2017). "Foton grabs bronze medal in PSL Grand Prix". The Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  11. ^ Lozada, Bong (December 16, 2017). "Double celebration for F2 import Perez with MVP award and PSL title". The Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  12. ^ "PSL's 'Magnificent 7' represents the future of PH volleyball". Tiebreaker Times. August 2, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  13. ^ "Santiago sisters to see action in Japan V.Premier League". Fox Sports Asia. Archived from the original (20 September 2018) on September 21, 2018. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  14. ^ "Jaja Santiago is top spiker in Japanese V-League Star Conference". Fox Sports Asia. January 6, 2020. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  15. ^ "Jaja Santiago powers Japanese squad to semis stint". Philippine Daily Inquirer. January 20, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  16. ^ Bautista, Ohmer (August 13, 2019). "Santiago sisters give Eya Laure triumphant Foton debut, pound short-handed Marinerang Pilipina". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b Valencia, Justin (March 28, 2021). "Jaja Santiago strikes gold as Ageo Medics rule V.League V Cup". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b "Jaja Santiago signs new contract with Japan's Ageo Medics". Philippine Daily Inquirer. August 22, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  19. ^ "PSL Grand Prix: Examining Chery Tiggo and Generika-Ayala". ESPN.com. February 26, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  20. ^ Li, Matthew (April 4, 2021). "Jaja Santiago bares Ageo wants her to turn local, but: 'May pride pa rin naman ako'" [Jaja Santiago bares Ageo wants her to turn local, but: 'I still have (Filipino) pride']. Tiebreaker Times (in English and Tagalog). Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  21. ^ Lozada, Bong (April 4, 2021). "She could already be the country's best player, but Jaja Santiago doesn't care about individual accolades". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  22. ^ Li, Matthew (April 2, 2021). "Jaja Santiago eager to bring V.League experience to Chery in PVL". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  23. ^ Co, Chris (April 4, 2021). "Jaja Santiago inayawan ang offer sa Taiwan". The Philippine Star (in Tagalog). Retrieved April 4, 2021.

External links[]

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