After year of parity, PVL looks to further evolve
Parity has defined the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) all year, with Petro Gazz returning to the top by claiming its first All-Filipino crown in May and later securing a third Reinforced title after ending the dream run of debut finalist ZUS Coffee—a team that leaped from winless to contender in a single season.
PLDT, despite finishing fourth after falling to Akari in the bronze match, still bagged its first two titles: First in the PVL On Tour, where the High Speed Hitters outlasted a resurgent Chery Tiggo—now bidding farewell to volleyball after 11 years. PLDT then topped Japan’s Kobe Shinwa in the Invitational final.
For PVL control committee chair Sherwin Malonzo, this competitive balance is the clearest sign the Rookie Draft is working.
“One good thing happening—and something I’m really hoping for—is the impact of the draft,” Malonzo told the Inquirer. “I hope it truly levels the playing field so it’s not just the richest teams getting the best players.”
Creamline, the league’s longtime powerhouse, felt the shift. After ruling since 2018 with 10 titles and last year’s Grand Slam, the Cool Smashers lost all their crowns—falling to Petro Gazz in the All-Filipino finals, settling for bronze in the On Tour and Invitational, and missing the Reinforced semifinals for the first time since 2017.
Creamline didn’t decline, Malonzo stressed; the rest of the field simply rose to the challenge.
ZUS Coffee embodied that rise. From winless last year, the Thunderbelles reached their first All-Filipino playoffs behind No. 1 pick Thea Gagate and free agent Jovelyn Gonzaga. They added AC Miner, Rookie of the Conference Riza Nogales, Mycah Go and libero Alyssa Eroa, then soared to a 7-1 Reinforced record before knocking out Capital1 and PLDT en route to the finals.
Other breakthroughs
Capital1 returned to the Reinforced quarters after drafting three-time UAAP MVP Bella Belen. Farm Fresh, with No. 3 pick Alohi Robins-Hardy and Ces Molina, topped the eliminations before Akari ousted it. Galeries Tower made the All-Filipino quarters, while Nxled reached the PVL On Tour quarterfinals with No. 4 pick Lyann De Guzman.
“This is only the second year of the draft and it’s showing results,” Malonzo said. “Last year, Galleries made the quarters. Now ZUS Coffee rose from the lower ranks to the top two.”
The PVL intended to debut its trade guidelines this year but postponed implementation due to issues with International Transfer Certificates and commitments tied to hosting the FIVB Men’s World Championship.
Teams were briefed on the proposed rules: a minimum one-season stay for traded players, rookies ineligible for trades until after one season, no sister-team trades and trades allowed only before the All-Filipino and Reinforced conferences.
The guidelines won’t be ready for January’s 2026 All-Filipino, but Malonzo hopes to implement them next season.
“Sometimes a player isn’t used much in one team but could be an asset elsewhere,” he said. “Right now, players request early termination just to move. Trading can make things fairer and more unpredictable.”
