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. 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. 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.