Powervolley Revivres Milano has just announced in its official website the signing of Puerto Rico’s Angel Perez. The 35 year old setter will be joining the team after leading Puerto Rico to dramatic 2018 FIVB World Championship berth in the 2017 Norceca’s Qualifying Tournament, in a performance that won him MPV honors.
Perez has had a successful career both at home and abroad. In Puerto Rico, the BYU alumni won the national championship 8 times with Changos de Naranjito and Mets de Guaynabo. With ACH Volley he won the Slovenian Championship and Slovenian Supercup in 2008-09, and with Tirol Innsbruck, he won the Austrian Championship in 2014-14. In all these season, he also won numerous MVP and best setter awards.
The last team he played for was Puerto Rico’s Gigantes de Adjuntas. However, the Puerto Rican Championship was recently cancelled after the devastating effects Hurricane Maria had on the island. Along with other players, Perez created the “A Hand for Portory Foundation”, with the purpose of helping countries hit by the hurricane.
After eight games of play, Milano is currently in 8th place of Italy’s SuperLega with a 3-5 record. Here is Milano’s official Instagram welcoming for Perez:
Here are tidbits from Perez’s first words as a Milano player on the team’s official website:
Angel, what are your feelings and what do you expect from this new challenge with Revivre Milano?
I am very happy to come and play for Milano and coach Andrea Giano. I have always followed the Italian Championship and wished to play here one day. This desire has finally come true and I am looking forward to being at the disposal of the team to help it win in the world’s most beautiful championship. For me, SuperLega Italiana is volleyball’s NBA. It is an honor to play with so many champions in Milan and against some of the strongest opponents in the world. It will be a great experience not only for me but also for my family to play and live in Italy: I will try to give my team my desire to play.
So many individual career awards and so many victories. The last one was qualifying for the World Cup with your national team and the MVP prize of the qualifying tournament.
It was a great result of qualifying for the next World Cup with my national team. I am very pleased with this result.
The championship in Puerto Rico was canceled after the terrible hurricane Maria. What is the situation in your country? What does your foundation aim to do regarding this natural disaster?
We played three rounds of games before the hurricane struck. People were left without electricity and water, with limited food for everyone, especially in the central area. It’s a difficult time for everyone, but the Puerto Rican people are strong and persistent and will come to work immediately to get our country back to us. Along with other volleyball players, we have created a foundation to help the people who are still in trouble. We try to give them water and food, but the situation is really complicated. This call from Italy will not hinder my participation with the foundation.
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