Petro Gazz pause triggers free-agency frenzy as PVL contenders scramble for Angels’ core

Petro Gazz’s decision to step away from the Premier Volleyball League has done more than sideline a perennial contender—it has cracked open one of the most intriguing player markets the PVL has seen in years.

With just three weeks left before the 2026 All-Filipino Conference tips off, the league confirmed that the Angels’ entire roster will enter free agency, instantly turning a quiet offseason into a full-blown race against time. 

For the players, it’s a sudden reset. For the league’s remaining 10 teams, it’s a rare opportunity to reshape their rosters with championship DNA almost overnight.

The numbers alone underline the urgency. Only 12 Petro Gazz players are still in the mix, and nine of them are already out of contract.

 Even those with live deals—two-time Finals MVP MJ Phillips, sophomore setter Jules Tolentino, and inaugural draft first-rounder AA Adolfo—are also headed to the open market, placing every Angel in play at once.

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CHAMPIONS HIT PAUSE

With four championships—two of which came in the 2024–25 PVL All-Filipino and Reinforced Conferences—the Petro Gazz Angels take a leave of absence from the PVL after seven years in the league.#PVL2026 #TheHeartofVolleyball pic.twitter.com/Cj7ei8DU35

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) January 10, 2026

At the center of it all is Brooke Van Sickle, the undisputed crown jewel of this free-agent class. Still just 26, the three-time PVL MVP has compressed a historic résumé into barely two years of league action. 

She now stands alongside Alyssa Valdez and Tots Carlos as the only players to win conference MVP honors three times, on top of collecting two Best Outside Hitter awards. Any team looking to fast-track a title push will inevitably build its plans around her availability.

But this is far from a one-player sweepstakes. Petro Gazz’s pause has also released a deep pool of proven winners and versatile contributors. 

Veterans like Myla Pablo and Aiza Maizo-Pontillas bring instant credibility and leadership, while younger pieces such as Tolentino and Adolfo offer upside that could anchor teams for years. It’s a blend of experience and promise that rarely hits the market all at once.

As front offices work the phones and players weigh their options, one thing is clear: Petro Gazz’s absence won’t leave a void—it will redistribute power across the league. How teams capitalize on this sudden windfall may ultimately define the 2026 All-Filipino Conference before the first serve is even made.

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