Alyja Daphne Santiago

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, 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.
She studied at the National University with a degree in Psychology and graduated in 2020.

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.

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. She also holds the record of the tallest player so far in the Shakey's V-League as she stands 6'5".

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).

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

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.

Ageo Medics (2018–2019)

Santiago joined Ageo Medics of Japan's V.League in 2018 for the 2018–19 season.

Foton Tornadoes (2019)

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

Ageo Medics (2019–2021)

Santiago helped Ageo Medics clinch a bronze medal finish in the 2019–20 Division 1.

Santiago renewed her contract with Ageo Medics in August 2020 She went on to help Ageo Medics win the Division 1 V.Cup title, which was the first for Santiago with a foreign club. 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.

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.

Chery Tiggo

Her contract with Ageo Medics expired after her 2021 V.Cup stint. 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). She rejected offer to play for a club in Taiwan so she could play for Chery in the PVL.

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.

Clubs

* PLDT Home Telpad Turbo Boosters (2014–2015)
* Foton Tornadoes (2015–2019)
* Ageo Medics (2018–present)
* Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Crossovers (2021-present)

Awards

Individuals

* '' 2010 UAAP Season 72 Girls' Volleyball "Rookie of the Year"''
* '' 2012 UAAP Season 75 Girls' Volleyball "Best Attacker"''
* '' 2013 UAAP Season 76 "Rookie of the Year"''
* '' 2014 Shakey's V-League 11th Season Open Conference "Best Attacker"''
* '' 2015 UAAP Season 77 "Best Attacker"''
* '' 2015 Shakey's V-League 12th Season Open Conference "Finals' Most Valuable Player"''
* '' 2015 Shakey's V-League 12th Season Open Conference "2nd Best Middle Blocker"''
* '' 2015 Philippine Superliga Grand Prix "2nd Best Middle Blocker"''
* '' 2016 Shakey's V-League 13th Season Open Conference "1st Best Middle Blocker"''
* '' 2016 Shakey's V-League 13th Season Collegiate "Conference's Most Valuable Player"''
* '' 2016 Shakey's V-League 13th Season Collegiate Conference "1st Best Middle Blocker"''
* '' 2016 UAAP Season 78 "Best Attacker"''
* '' 2016 Philippine Superliga All-Filipino "2nd Best Middle Blocker"''
* '' 2016 Philippine Superliga Grand Prix "Most Valuable Player"''
* '' 2017 UAAP Season 79 "Best Attacker"''
* '' 2017 UAAP Season 79 "Best Scorer"''
* '' 2017 UAAP Season 79 "Best Blocker"''
* '' 2017 Philippine Superliga All-Filipino "Best Opposite Spiker"''
* '' 2017 Premier Volleyball League 1st Season Collegiate Conference "Conference's Most Valuable Player"''
* '' 2017 Philippine Superliga Grand Prix "1st Best Opposite Spiker"''
* '' 2018 UAAP Season 80 "Season's Most Valuable Player"''
* '' 2018 UAAP Season 80 "Best Attacker"''
* '' 2019 Philippine Superliga All-Filipino "1st Best Middle Blocker"''
* '' 2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference "2nd Best Middle Blocker"''
* '' 2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference "Conference's Most Valuable Player"''
* '' 2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference "Finals' Most Valuable Player"''
* '' 2021-2022 Japanese V.League Division 1 "Best Blocker"''

Clubs

* Shakey's V-League 12th Season Open Conference – Champion, with PLDT Home Ultera Ultra Fast Hitters
* 2015 Philippine Super Liga Grand Prix – Champion, with Foton Tornadoes
* 2016 Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino – Runner-Up, with Foton Tornadoes
* 2016 Philippine Super Liga Grand Prix – Champion, with Foton Tornadoes
* 2017 Philippine Superliga Grand Prix – Bronze medal, with Foton Tornadoes
* 2019–20 V.League Division 1 Women's – Bronze medal, with Ageo Medics
* 2020–21 V.Cup Women's – Champion, with Ageo Medics
* 2021 Premier Volleyball League Open Conference – Champion, with Chery Tiggo Crossovers

Special Recognition

* 2014 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship qualification (AVC) "Miss Volleyball"

References

External links

Volleyverse profile

{{DEFAULTSORT:Santiago, Jaja
1996 births
People from Cavite City
National University (Philippines) alumni
University Athletic Association of the Philippines volleyball players
Living people
Sportspeople from Cavite
Philippines women's international volleyball players
Filipino women's volleyball players
Middle blockers
Opposite hitters
Filipino expatriate sportspeople in Japan
Expatriate volleyball players in Japan
Competitors at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games
Volleyball players at the 2018 Asian Games
Ageo Medics players
Asian Games competitors for the Philippines
Filipino expatriate volleyball players
Competitors at the 2021 Southeast Asian Games
Southeast Asian Games competitors for the Philippines