The Creamline Cool Smashers are switching things up for their title defense this October, welcoming a fresh face to their lineup as they aim to reclaim their dominant form in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference.
On Wednesday night, the Cool Smashers unveiled 29-year-old American outside hitter Courtney Schwan as their newest import, signaling a bold new approach for the reigning champions.
Standing 6-foot-2, Schwan arrives with a winning pedigree, having powered the Orlando Valkyries to the Major League Volleyball championship in the United States earlier this year. Before her successful run in the MLV, the Auburn, Washington native sharpened her skills across top European circuits, with stints in Italy, France, and Greece.
Known for her heavy swings and court savvy, Schwan is expected to bring firepower and depth to Creamline’s wing rotation alongside local stars Alyssa Valdez and Jema Galanza. Her entry comes as Creamline seeks to reignite its championship spark after settling for bronze in its last two PVL outings — the On Tour and Invitational conferences.
The Cool Smashers are no strangers to success in the Reinforced tournament. They captured the crown last year behind the stellar play of American import Erica Staunton and Bernadeth Pons, whose MVP-caliber run helped fuel a rare grand slam season.
However, the squad will be without Pons this time as she focuses on her beach volleyball campaign with Sisi Rondina for the Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this December — a gap Creamline hopes Schwan’s arrival can fill.
With Schwan now in the fold, Creamline is looking to flip the script and mount a full-force title defense, eager to remind the league why they’ve long been the PVL’s benchmark for excellence.
