For years, Camilla Lamina’s role was clear.
She was the steady hand behind one of the most dominant programs in collegiate volleyball, orchestrating plays, directing traffic, and helping National University maintain its place among the country’s elite teams.
Now, the challenge is entirely different.
Instead of fitting into an established championship culture, Lamina is being asked to help build one.
The former NU star officially enters the professional ranks as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2026 PVL Draft after the Galeries Tower Highrisers made her the centerpiece of their future, entrusting the accomplished setter with a responsibility that extends far beyond distributing the ball.
For Lamina, hearing her name called first overall was less about individual recognition and more about the confidence a franchise placed in her.
“For me, siyempre fulfilling kasi wow, ako ‘yung isa sa mga napili nila ng Galeries. It shows ‘yung trust na ako pa talaga ‘yung napili. Very happy and very grateful,” she said.
The selection marks a significant transition for one of the most decorated setters to emerge from the UAAP in recent years.
At NU, Lamina was surrounded by a culture built around winning. Championships were expected, and excellence was the standard. At Galeries Tower, she enters a team still searching for its breakthrough and looking for foundational pieces capable of elevating the franchise.
That reality is not lost on the 23-year-old playmaker.
Rather than focusing solely on her skills as a setter, Lamina believes the biggest contribution she can bring comes from the values she developed during her years with the Lady Bulldogs.
“Since I am from a champion team, which is NU, ang mabibigay ko lang at mao-offer ko sa Galeries ay kung gaano ako ka-competitive inside and outside the court at ‘yung hard work, discipline, at ‘yung work ethic ko,” Lamina said.
Those traits could prove just as valuable as her precise sets and court vision.
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NO. 1 PICK IN THE PVL DRAFT!
With the first overall pick in the PVL Draft, the Galeries Tower Highrisers select CAMILLA LAMINA!
Congrats! #PVLDraft #PVL2026 pic.twitter.com/eKIYsgvA6g
— 𝐕𝐓 (@volleytiger) June 3, 2026
Galeries Tower’s decision to make Lamina the top pick reflects its belief that building a competitive team requires more than talent. It requires players capable of setting standards and establishing habits that can influence an entire roster.
The professional game, however, presents a different landscape from the one she dominated in college.
Gone are the familiar opponents and systems. Waiting for her in the PVL are battle-tested veterans, former MVPs, national team standouts, and players who have spent years refining their craft at the highest level of Philippine volleyball.
Instead of viewing that reality with apprehension, Lamina sees it as the next stage of her growth.
“Of course, always ready naman ako syempre. But syempre, it will start sa how will I prepare first and how will I manage myself,” she said.
“Siyempre, pagtuntong sa PVL, kasi iba na sila maglaro, mga beterano na sila maglaro. Feel ko marami ako matututunan and i-e-embrace ko talaga ‘yung challenge pag kalaban sila.”
For Lamina, the draft did more than launch a professional career.
It transformed her from the setter of a champion into a potential cornerstone of a franchise looking to write its own success story. The expectations that come with being the first overall pick are undeniable, but so is the opportunity.
And for a player who spent her collegiate career helping others shine, the next chapter will be about proving she can help lead an entire organization forward.
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