Filipino icon Alyssa Valdez welcomes PVL Rookie Draft stars as new era of Philippine volleyball begins

Alas Pilipinas and Creamline Cool Smashers icon Alyssa Valdez is widely considered the greatest volleyball player to come from the Philippines, having achieved legendary status, as evidenced by her immense popularity across various social media platforms.

Valdez is one of the primary reasons volleyball in the Philippines has reached the lofty standards it enjoys today. The 31-year-old recently added another milestone to her illustrious career by being named one of the official ambassadors for the upcoming 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship, which will be held in the Philippines.

The recent 2025 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Rookie Draft saw another influx of young talent from the collegiate level, and Valdez is the first to acknowledge that the next batch of stars is ready to step up and take on the mantle of leadership as the veterans are gradually phased out.

“Change is inevitable, so we just accept and embrace it. For me, I think I also have to realize that in no time, it will definitely happen. All these kids will be playing in the pros. May mag-a-add nang mag-a-add sa number ng age namin,” Valdez said, as quoted by Spin.ph.

UAAP standout Bella Belen was selected as the first overall pick by the Capital1 Solar Spikers in the PVL Rookie Draft. She is expected to headline the next generation of stars, which also includes Angel Canino and Shaina Nitura.

SERVING AN INSPIRING LESSON | Para kay Alyssa Valdez, lahat ng role, may silbi sa laban ng volleyball at sa buhay. #PalarongPambansa2025 #DepEdPhilippines pic.twitter.com/CyRvId9wPF

— DepEd (@DepEd_PH) May 31, 2025

“Definitely, they are all welcome in the PVL. We welcome them, and we actually can’t wait to see all of them here. It’s also one way of making sure na ‘yung level of competition ay nandun pa rin sa PVL,” she added.

Despite the influx of young players, the Cool Smashers have retained their identity by keeping their experienced core intact for the upcoming conference. However, they’ve also added young blood in the form of two middle blockers: Sheena Toring and Nica Celis.

“It’s something new for us, definitely. I think a little change is really good. Alam mo, one thing we just want is for them to feel at home in Creamline. Hopefully, they enjoy playing the sport as much as they enjoyed it back in the UAAP. ‘Yun ‘yung isa sa mga goals namin for them,” Valdez concluded.

It will be intriguing to see how the infusion of young talent will impact the league—and whether it will be enough to dethrone Creamline, the PVL’s most successful and popular franchise.

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