Jaja 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.
 Alyja Daphne Santiago

Personal information

Full name Alyja Daphne Antonio Santiago

Nickname Jaja

Nationality Filipino

Born January 20, 1996

Cavite, Philippines

Hometown Tanza, Cavite

Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[1]

Weight 72 kg (159 lb)

Spike 312 cm (123 in)

Block 300 cm (118 in)

College / University National University

Volleyball information

Position Middle Blocker

Current club Saitama Ageo Medics

Number 3

Career

Years Teams

2014–2015 PLDT Home Ultera

2015–2019 Foton Tornadoes

2018–present Saitama Ageo Medics

2020-present Chery Tiggo

National team
 2014–present Philippines

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]
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.[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 clinch 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.[24]

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

1. "Player - Alyja Daphnie Santiago - FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship 2016" (http://clubw
orldchampionships.2016.women.fivb.com/en/teams/man-psl%20-%20f2%20logistics%20manila/player
s/alyja-daphnie-santiago?id=55031) . FIVB. Retrieved August 26, 2021.

2. "UAAP 77 Athlete of the Day: Jaja Santiago" (http://sports.abs-cbn.com/volleyball/news/2014/12/29/pro

file-jaja-santiago-419) . 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" (http://www.abs-
cbnnews.com/sports/11/17/13/dindin-and-jaja-santiagos-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" (http://www.spin.ph/volleyball/news/jaja-santiago-uncertain-on-playing-fifth-and-final-sea
son-with-nu-lady-bulldogs#QZRkfY8jvi5MR2gh.99) . 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" (htt
p://www.gmanetwork.com/international/articles/2014-08-05/376) . GMA Network. Retrieved
December 20, 2017.

6. Bracher, Jane. "Jaja Santiago confident in leadership role with NU Lady Bulldogs" (https://www.rappler.co
m/sports/uaap/jaja-santiago-confident-big-role-lady-bulldogs) . Rappler. No. February 8, 2016.
Retrieved September 11, 2021.

7. Escarlote, Mark. "Volleyball: Foton claims repeat Grand Prix title" (https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/1
0/16/volleyball-foton-claims-repeat-grand-prix-title) . ABS-CBN News. No. December 10, 2016. Retrieved
September 11, 2021.

8. Escarlote, Mark (October 14, 2017). "SWEEP VICTORY: NU claims PVL Collegiate Conference title" (http
s://sports.abs-cbn.com/pvl/news/2017/10/14/sweep-victory-nu-claims-pvl-collegiate-conference-title-
32269) . ABS-CBN Sports. Retrieved December 18, 2017.

9. Escarlote, Mark (October 14, 2017). "Santiago named PVL Collegiate Conference MVP" (http://sports.abs
-cbn.com/pvl/news/2017/10/14/santiago-named-pvl-collegiate-conference-mvp-32252) . ABS-CBN
Sports. Retrieved December 18, 2017.

10. Giongco, Mark (December 12, 2017). "Foton grabs bronze medal in PSL Grand Prix" (http://sports.inquirer.
net/275453/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" (http://sports.inquirer.net/276042/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" (http://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/psls-mag

nificent-7-represents-the-future-of-ph-volleyball/62667) . Tiebreaker Times. August 2, 2016. Retrieved
December 18, 2017.

13. "Santiago sisters to see action in Japan V.Premier League" (https://web.archive.org/web/201809211150

18/https://www.foxsports.ph/volleyball/911222/santiago-sisters-to-see-action-in-japan-v-premier-leagu
e/) . Fox Sports Asia. Archived from the original (https://www.foxsports.ph/volleyball/911222/santiago-
sisters-to-see-action-in-japan-v-premier-league/) (20 September 2018) on September 21, 2018. Retrieved
April 4, 2021.

14. "Jaja Santiago is top spiker in Japanese V-League Star Conference" (https://web.archive.org/web/20200
215072013/https://www.foxsports.ph/volleyball/1057974/jaja-santiago-is-top-spiker-in-japanese-v-leagu
e-star-conference/) . Fox Sports Asia. January 6, 2020. Archived from the original (https://www.foxsport
s.ph/volleyball/1057974/jaja-santiago-is-top-spiker-in-japanese-v-league-star-conference/) on February
15, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
15. "Jaja Santiago powers Japanese squad to semis stint" (https://sports.inquirer.net/382048/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" (https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/santiago-sisters-give-eya-laure-tri
umphant-foton-debut/157000) . Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 4, 2021.

17. Valencia, Justin (March 28, 2021). "Jaja Santiago strikes gold as Ageo Medics rule V.League V Cup" (http
s://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/jaja-santiago-strikes-gold-as-ageo-medics-rule-v-league-v-cup/204575) .
Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 4, 2021.

18. "Jaja Santiago signs new contract with Japan's Ageo Medics" (https://sports.inquirer.net/402015/jaja-sa
ntiago-signs-new-contract-with-japans-ageo-medics) . Philippine Daily Inquirer. August 22, 2020.
Retrieved April 4, 2021.

19. "PSL Grand Prix: Examining Chery Tiggo and Generika-Ayala" (https://tv5.espn.com/story/_/id/28782871/
psl-grand-prix-examining-chery-tiggo-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' " (https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/jaja-santiago-bares-ageo-wants-her-to-turn-local-but-ma
y-pride-pa-rin-naman-ako/204948) [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" (https://sports.inquirer.net/419593/she-could-already-be-the-countrys-b
est-player-but-jaja-santiago-doesnt-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" (https://tie
breakertimes.com.ph/tbt/jaja-santiago-eager-to-bring-v-league-experience-to-chery-in-pvl/204884) .
Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 4, 2021.

23. Co, Chris (April 4, 2021). "Jaja Santiago inayawan ang offer sa Taiwan" (https://www.philstar.com/pang-
masa/pm-sports/2021/04/04/2088763/jaja-santiago-inayawan-ang-offer-sa-taiwan) . The Philippine
Star (in Tagalog). Retrieved April 4, 2021.

24. Reyes, Mark Anthony (August 27, 2017). "Philippines falls to Vietnam in bronze medal match" (https://spo
rts.inquirer.net/262579/sea-games-2017-volleyball-philippines-falls-to-vietnam-in-bronze-medal-
match) . Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 21, 2021.

External links

Volleyverse profile (https://volleyverse.com/players/3080/jaja-santiago/)

Retrieved from
"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Jaja_Santiago&oldid=1104839189"

Last edited 15 days ago by 136.158.29.20