Rhea Dimaculangan


Rhea Katrina Karla Dimaculangan-Villarete is a Filipino former professional volleyball player. Villarete played setter for and was a former captain of the UST Golden Tigresses. She is also a former of the Philippines women's national [volleyball team|Philippines women's national team].

Early life and education

Dimaculangan was born on March 21, 1991 in Batangas to a family of five siblings. She is the younger sister of Ray Karl Dimaculangan, also a volleyball player and used to play as a setter for the men's volleyball team of the UST Golden Spikers.

Career

Beginnings

Dimaculangan started her career in volleyball early in her elementary days in De La Salle Lipa. She was originally a hitter for her team, and only transitioned into her current position in 5th grade.

Collegiate days

She moved in the University of [Santo Tomas High School] for her high school education where she became the playmaker for the girls' volleyball team. Later on, she pursued her tertiary education in University of Santo Tomas, majoring in Sports Science under UST-CRS, and continuing with the UST Golden Tigresses.
In 2009–2010, the UST Golden Tigresses achieved a historic "Grand Slam" after sweeping the major Philippine collegiate women's volleyball conferences..
In UAAP Season 72 where her team won the championship, she claimed the Best Server and Final's Most Valuable Player award.

Post-graduate career

Shakey's V-League

Dimaculangan also made a name in several Shakey's V-League conferences. In Shakey's V-League Season 6 1st Conference, she was entitled the Final's Most Valuable Player and Best Setter. She also snatched the Best Setter award in Shakey's V- League Season 11, Open Conference.

Philippine Super Liga

Dimaculangan's debut in the Philippine Super Liga was in the 2014 Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino league where she snatched the Best Setter award and led her team, RC Cola Air Force Raiders, to a championship silver medal.
She then transferred to the club team Foton Tornadoes together with Maika Ortiz in mid-2015 where she brought the team into a first-runner up finish in the 2015 Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino. With the aid of the imports Lindsay Stalzer and Ariel Usher, she helped the team bag its second championship gold medal in the 2016 PSL Grand Prix Conference.
Early 2017, Dimaculangan moved clubs and signed a year contract with the Petron Tri-Activ Spikers. With Petron Blaze Spikers, she won the 2017 PSL Grand Prix Conference silver medal. The following year, she together with Lindsay Stalzer, Katherine Bell and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas led Petron to the 2018 PSL Grand Prix Conference championship. Villarete won the Most Valuable Player award of the 2018 PSL All-Filipino Conference. In 2020, Villarete signed with the Generika-Ayala Lifesavers.

Premier Volleyball League

In 2021, she joined the PLDT Home Fibr Power Hitters. In 2024, she left the team to focus on her family.
In 2025, Dimaculangan joined PVL club, Creamline Cool Smashers for their 2025 AVC [Women's Volleyball Champions League] stint. She later helped Creamline win the PVL on Tour tournament and Invitational Conference. Her last tournament was the Reinforced Conference where Creamline finished sixth. In January 2026, Dimaculangan announced her retirement from volleyball.

Personal life

In 2024, Dimaculangan married her boyfriend, Raymond Jomarcel Villarete.

Awards

Individuals

; Philippine Super Liga
; Shakey's V-League
; UAAP women's volleyball

Collegiate

Club