Zen Perolino made sure to give credit where it was due after being selected 21st overall by PLDT in the 2025 Premier Volleyball League Rookie Draft held Sunday at the Novotel Hotel.
The towering and previously unheralded middle blocker tipped her hat to the person who molded her into the player she is today — Enderun Colleges head coach Dong Dela Cruz.
Aside from steering the Lady Titans, Dela Cruz also serves as the lead assistant to Coach Dante Alinsunurin for the five-time defending champions National University men’s volleyball team in the UAAP.
“One of the reasons why we’re overthinking a lot is that we’re not part of the UAAP, however, we believe in the system that our coach sa Enderun, coach Dong Dela Cruz, offered to us, and you know, he’s been a really great coach,” said the 6-foot middle blocker.
“The system we have is also the system that the NU men’s has and Choco Mucho, which has been proven and tested, so beyond the fear, we also have high faith in ourselves, to God, and also to the training that we’ve been doing with the Enderun coaches,” she added.
(C) PVL Images
Now stepping into the professional ranks with the High Speed Hitters, Perolino feels determined to fully unlock her potential — and she knows she’ll be in good company.
She joins a loaded middle blocker rotation at PLDT, which includes national team stalwarts Majoy Baron, Mika Reyes, and Dell Palomata — athletes she has long admired.
“Honestly, one thing that I can offer PLDT is really the eagerness to learn more and to really unlock more of my potential. Like what I said earlier, kasi I know naman the middle blockers sa PLDT, talagang veterans and ever since I was in high school, ever since I started my volleyball journey, they’re the middle blockers that I look up the most,” said the 24-year-old Perolino.
“Now that I will hopefully will get to play with them, I wanted to learn more and to really tapatan man kung ano ‘yung nagi-give nila sa PLDT in return.”
