The Lady Realtors made the announcement on their social media Thursday evening as Barroga replaced Eddieson Orcullo, who was the team’s head coach from 2020 up until the PVL bubble held in Ilocos Norte. 

“The Sta. Lucia family would like to officially welcome Edgar Barroga as the new head coach of the Lady Realtors!” the post read.

For Barroga, the offer of the Sta. Lucia was an opportunity he could not deny as he saw strong potential in the players.

“First of all, medyo overwhelmed ako kasi hindi ko ine-expect na matawagan ako at i-offer sa akin yung position,” Barroga told the PVL.ph website.

“Siyempre, sino naman ako tatanggi diyan kasi maganda yung company at may potential yung players. Hindi na ako nagdalawang isip at excited na ako,” he continued. 

The team fell short after finishing with a 5-4 record in fifth place in the recently concluded PVL Open Conference, which celebrated its first season as a professional league.

Team manager Buddy Encarnado disclosed that Sta. Lucia will still honor the contract it has with Orcullo that ends this year.

Barroga, who also mentored the National University’s boys’ volleyball program, coached Cignal from 2018 and led the team to a silver-medal finish in the 2019 Philippine Superliga All Filipino Conference. 

The decorated coach was then replaced by Shaq delos Santos early this year. 

He was supposed to mentor the Unlimited Athletes Club, but the club decided not to play in the Open Conference. 

Barroga vowed to give his best to steer the Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors to a semis spot in the next PVL season. 

“China-challenge ako ni Sir Buddy. Wala akong magawa kung hindi magplano ng maaga kahit wala pang kasiguraduhan yung next conference para mas ma-assist ko pa yung players at kung ano pa yung mga kulang ng team namin,” he said.