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Tag: 2026 PVL Rookie Draft

  • Top 5 Picks in the making? PVL draft class raises big questions on who deserves the top spot 

    Top 5 Picks in the making? PVL draft class raises big questions on who deserves the top spot 

    With the Premier Volleyball League Draft Rookie Draft fast approaching and the annual draw set for May 25, the professional volleyball landscape is once again bracing for an influx of young talent ready to make the leap from collegiate stardom to the pro stage.

     

    As both the UAAP and NCAA seasons conclude, attention naturally shifts to the graduating seniors and early professional entrants.

     

    This year’s draft class stands out not just for depth, but for the number of players who have already proven themselves as franchise-caliber talents in their own right. More than prospects, they are proven leaders, award winners, and system-changers.

     

    1. Detdet Pepito

    The steady backbone of the UST Golden Tigresses. A multiple-time Best Libero awardee in both junior and senior divisions, Pepito enters the draft with a résumé built on consistency and leadership. 

     

    Twice named UAAP Best Libero (Seasons 85 and 86), she anchored UST through five straight Final Four appearances, including a runner-up finish in Season 86 during their breakthrough campaign. Her defensive instincts, court command, and leadership presence make her one of the most polished and pro-ready names in this class.

     

    2. Zam Nolasco

     

    The Season 101 MVP of the De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde Women’s Volleyball Team. After leading the Lady Blazers to a runner-up finish, Nolasco confirmed her intention to turn professional, closing a decorated collegiate run highlighted by a championship core from 2022 to 2025. 

     

    She also earned her first Best Middle Blocker award in NCAA Season 100 and had prior exposure in the PVL as a guest player for the Farm Fresh Foxies during the 2023 Invitational Conference. Her combination of winning pedigree and pro experience makes her one of the most intriguing frontcourt prospects in the draft pool.

     

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    3. Lams Lamina

     

    A two-time UAAP Best Setter, Lamina has long been the engine behind NU’s championship-caliber system. Her final collegiate season further reinforced her reputation as a high-IQ playmaker capable of controlling tempo under pressure. 

     

    With multiple Finals appearances already under her belt, she enters the draft conversation as a potential top overall selection due to her leadership, composure, and elite distribution skills.

     

    4. Niña Ytang 

     

    UP Fighting Maroons Women’s Volleyball Team standout middle blocker. One of the most productive middle blockers in recent UAAP history, Ytang finished Season 88 as the league’s highest-scoring middle blocker with 172 total points, built from 126 attacks, 35 blocks, and 11 aces. 

     

    A four-time Second Best Middle Blocker awardee, she brings both offensive efficiency and defensive presence at the net — a rare combination that makes her a legitimate top-pick candidate.

     

    5. Tin Ubaldo 

     

    To round the list, the former FEU Lady Tamaraws, a veteran setter whose steady hand has kept FEU competitive in tightly contested UAAP seasons. 

     

    Ranking fourth among setters with 3.96 excellent sets per set at the end of eliminations, Ubaldo may not always dominate headlines, but her ability to stabilize offenses and manage game flow makes her an ideal piece for teams in need of structure and consistency at the setter position.

     

    As the draft draws closer, one thing is becoming clear, it is not just a class of promising rookies. It is a group of ready-made contributors — players who have already carried programs, won awards, and thrived in high-pressure environments. For PVL teams, the challenge will not be finding talent. It will be deciding which proven collegiate leader to build around next.

     

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  • From college stars to future franchise pieces: UAAP standouts ready to shape 2026 PVL Draft

    From college stars to future franchise pieces: UAAP standouts ready to shape 2026 PVL Draft

    The UAAP spotlight may have dimmed following the end of Season 88, but for many of the league’s biggest stars, the next — and perhaps toughest — chapter is only beginning.

     

    With the 2026 PVL Draft approaching, front offices across the professional ranks are now turning their attention toward a UAAP class filled with polished setters, battle-tested veterans, elite defenders, and scorers capable of contributing immediately.

     

    More than just statistical standouts, this year’s crop represents a fascinating mix of proven winners, comeback stories, and long-term projects who could eventually become cornerstones of rebuilding PVL franchises.

     

    At the center of the conversation is National University playmaker Camille Lamina, whose calm command of NU’s offense over the past several seasons made her one of the most accomplished setters in the collegiate game.

     

    A two-time UAAP Best Setter, Lamina enters the draft process carrying the profile many teams covet most: a proven floor general capable of elevating everyone around her.

     

    But while setters traditionally hold premium value in the PVL, University of the Philippines middle blocker Niña Ytang has built a compelling case of her own to challenge for the top overall selection.

     

    Ytang developed into one of the UAAP’s most dominant net defenders and offensive middle threats, finishing Season 88 as the highest-scoring middle blocker in the league with 172 total points. Her combination of timing, length, and consistency could make her one of the safest selections available.

     

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    UST libero Detdet Pepito may also hear her name called early.

     

    Few players in recent UAAP history arrive with a résumé as decorated as Pepito’s. Long considered the emotional anchor of the Golden Tigresses, the veteran libero brings years of leadership, elite floor defense, and high-pressure experience that could immediately stabilize a professional backcourt.

     

    Meanwhile, FEU setter Tin Ubaldo quietly strengthened her draft stock by remaining one of the steadiest playmakers in the league this season.

     

    Known for her ability to manage tempo and keep offenses organized, Ubaldo projects as a valuable option for teams searching for reliability at the setter position.

     

    Her FEU teammate Gerzel Petallo also emerged as one of the more intriguing offensive prospects available after showcasing her ability to score from multiple areas on the floor.

     

    UST’s Jonna Perdido, meanwhile, enters the draft as one of the class’ biggest wildcard prospects.

     

    Before suffering a torn ACL, Perdido was viewed as one of the league’s rising scorers. While her return this season came with expected growing pains, her upside remains undeniable if she fully regains her old form.

     

    UP’s Joan Monares faces similar intrigue.

     

    Limited by a lingering back injury during her final collegiate season, Monares still flashed the versatility and two-way reliability that made her one of the Fighting Maroons’ most dependable players throughout her career.

     

    Other names expected to draw attention include UST spark plug Xyza Gula, UP utility player Irah Jaboneta, and Ateneo winger Zel Tsunashima, whose comeback from a broken shin offered glimpses of the offensive potential that once made her one of the Blue Eagles’ promising young hitters.

     

    As PVL teams prepare to reshape their rosters in the coming weeks, this UAAP batch enters the professional scene carrying more than collegiate credentials.

     

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  • PVL Draft applications open April 20 as spotlight turns to where top young stars will go

    PVL Draft applications open April 20 as spotlight turns to where top young stars will go

    The Premier Volleyball League is opening its doors again to the next wave of homegrown talent, but this year’s rookie draft feels like more than a routine offseason event.

     

    Applications for the 2026 PVL Rookie Draft will officially open on April 20, with the selection proceedings expected in early June as the league stages the third edition of a system that has quickly become one of its most important equalizers. The draft continues to serve as the league’s primary pipeline for new talent, offering clubs a structured way to strengthen their rosters while giving top collegiate and amateur standouts a direct path to the professional game.

     

    That alone already makes the coming draft significant.

     

    But what gives this year’s edition a little more weight is the growing sense that the next generation of stars may soon have to choose not just which team they want to play for, but which path they want to take.

     

    In only two years, the PVL Draft has already shown how quickly one pick can alter a franchise’s direction.

     

    ZUS Coffee made the first major splash in 2024 when it selected Thea Gagate at No. 1 overall, securing a long-term answer in the middle. A year later, Capital1 made its own franchise-defining gamble by taking Bella Belen with the top pick, betting on one of the country’s most decorated all-around talents to become the face of its rebuild.

     

    Those selections did more than just fill roster holes. They signaled how seriously teams are now treating the draft as a long-term investment rather than a ceremonial offseason exercise.

    That is why the opening of the 2026 application window matters.

     

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    For many aspiring pros, this is the moment where collegiate stardom starts to turn into career decisions. It is where standout players begin weighing whether to turn pro immediately, stay longer in school if eligible, explore opportunities abroad, or finally test themselves against the country’s best in the PVL.

     

    And hovering over all of that is the unresolved question of the proposed Alas Pilipinas draft.

    The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) had earlier floated the idea of a separate draft system for the national team, one designed to organize player selection and create a clearer development track for Alas Pilipinas.

     

    Under that proposal, players who choose to enter the Alas draft would effectively close the door on the PVL Rookie Draft, at least for the time being. They would be required to commit to the national program for a minimum of two years before becoming eligible to pursue a PVL route.

     

    If implemented, that setup would create a genuine fork in the road for elite young players: go pro now, or dedicate the next phase of your career to the national team setup first.

     

    That possibility adds another layer of intrigue to this year’s PVL draft cycle.

     

    For now, however, the PVL remains the more immediate and tangible destination. With applications opening on April 20 and the draft proper looming in early June, attention now turns to who will declare, who will wait, and who could emerge as the next franchise-changing name to hear her name called first.

     

    Because while the PVL Draft was created to distribute talent more fairly across the league, this year it may also end up revealing something bigger — where the country’s best young volleyball players believe their future is brightest.

     

    The PVL’s rookie draft has become a key roster-building tool since its launch in 2024, while the proposed Alas Pilipinas draft remains under discussion and has yet to be formally rolled out. 

     

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