Only a year into her professional career, Lyann De Guzman suddenly found herself on the other side of the PVL journey — no longer the nervous rookie trying to earn a spot, but one of the players helping the next wave prepare for the pressure that comes with turning pro.
Ahead of the 2026 PVL Rookie Draft Combine, the Nxled Chameleons winger joined fellow PVL standouts AC Miner, Chenie Tagaod, and Ishie Lalongisip in speaking to draft hopefuls during a pre-draft gathering organized by Hustle & Groove.
For De Guzman, the experience served as a reminder of how quickly life in the pros moves.
“Actually hanggang ngayon, [feeling ko] sobrang bilis na isang taon na kami agad sa pro. And for me… Marami pang kailangan matutunan din [kami]. And of course yung mga papasok din naman ngayon. I know, [maalam] na din sila sa volleyball,” De Guzman told One Sports during the pre-draft meeting.
But instead of viewing the incoming class as mere competition, De Guzman sees the 41-player draft pool as a challenge that could elevate everyone in the league — veterans and rookies alike.
“Sobrang taas na rin ng standards nila. Sobrang makikipagsabayan din sila. So ano lang din, parang give and take lang din. Na matututo kami sa kanila, and matututo din sila sa amin.”
That perspective becomes even more personal for De Guzman considering several draft aspirants are players she once shared the court with in high school and college.
One of them is former Ateneo setter Taks Fujimoto, one of De Guzman’s closest friends and former teammates.
Having gone through the uncertainties of the transition herself, De Guzman said she and Miner constantly reminded Fujimoto to trust the opportunity in front of her despite the risks attached to pursuing a professional career.
“Actually sinasabi nga lang namin kay Taks nalang na go for it lang talaga. High risk lang talaga. High risk, high reward,” De Guzman said.
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Meet all 42 members of the the PVL Rookie Draft Class of 2026!#PVLDraft #PVL2026 @spinph pic.twitter.com/l1X1BncDNF
— John Mark Garcia (@johnmarkdg_) May 28, 2026
“Kasi you never know the result hanggang hindi mo tinatry. And support lang kami kahit anong mangyari. Kasi we know naman na, alam namin yung kakayahan ni Taks sa volleyball. And we know na kaya niya.”
For De Guzman, the upcoming combine in Mandaluyong is less about proving who belongs and more about watching a new generation finally receive its shot.
“Actually, very happy kasi na parang another opportunity for them na to grow din. Of course, mashowcase din yung talent nila,” she said.
“And nakikita ko talaga kasi halos lahat ng mga papasok ngayon, naging teammates ko rin noong high school kami and noong college. And I know naman yung kakayahan nila.”
Now entering her sophomore year in the PVL, De Guzman is beginning to realize something many young pros eventually discover.
The league never stops evolving — and sometimes, the players you once grew up with become the ones pushing you to grow even more.
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