FOR a player who made Finals appearances feel automatic, Bella Belen found herself on the outside looking in for the second straight conference.
A winner all her life from high school to college with National University, Belen finds herself in a totally different situation now with Capital1 after missing the postseason in her first two conferences as a pro.
And yet, even in that unfamiliar space, Belen still stood out.
During the 2026 PVL All-Filipino conference, she walked away with the Rookie of the Conferences and Best Outside Spiker honors - not as a continuation of a winning run, but as a proof that her game translates, no matter the stage or the situation.
“Very unexpected siya for me,” Belen admitted.
“Hindi ko naman na-expect na magkaka-awards ako pero siyempre, thankful and I’m very happy.”
Because for the first-ever UAAP volleyball Rookie-MVP, the recognition doesn’t define the season. It only reflects the work behind it.
“These awards parang bonus sa lahat ng paghihirap na ginagawa ko for my team,” Belen uttered.
Wins matter more for Bella, of course
That perspective says a lot about where she is now especially after being caught between individual breakthrough and team frustration.
The accolades shine, especially for a rookie adjusting to the pro level, but they also highlight what’s missing.
And Belen knows it.
“Hopefully, it turns to team success next conferences. Mas nakaka-motivate na magtrabaho pa ng triple, hindi lang special awards yung makuha ko kundi buong team,” said the 2025 no. 1 overall pick.
There’s a different kind of hunger there - one shaped not by winning streaks, but by their absence.
Watching her former collegiate teammates Sheena Toring, Jennifer Nierva, of Creamline and Cignal’s Erin Pangilinan in the Finals only made that clearer.
“Ang saya talaga maglaro lalo na ‘pag yung game is for finals,” she shared, recalling the intensity from afar.
“Hopefully, maranasan ko naman siya dito.”
No bitterness. Just motivation.
Because if this phase is unfamiliar, it’s also fuel. And if her rookie season proved anything, it’s this:
Even without the postseason, Bella Belen still finds a way to rise above it.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
