SOME of the PVL’s most recognizable stars stepped back from the league in recent years, not by decline but by circumstance.
Contract disputes, national team duties and overseas stints all played a part in keeping a handful of A-listers away from the local hardcourt longer than expected.
Their absences were felt across conferences as the league continued to evolve without some of its biggest names in the mix.
READ: Jia says it doesn't matter who starts at setter for Creamline
Now in 2026, that waiting game is finally over.
With the All-Filipino Conference ushering in a reset season and a reshaped competitive landscape, several marquee players are set to resurface with renewed championship aspirations.
Some return to old homes, others debut with new teams but all re-enter a PVL vastly different from the one they left behind.
To put into perspective just how long these returns have been in the making, here are four of the league’s top guns tagged with the date of their last PVL appearance and the scheduled opener of their long-awaited return in the 2026 All-Filipino Conference.
This, of course, comes with the caveat that all four are expected to see action straight away when their teams take the court for the first time this year.
JIA DE GUZMAN (Creamline): 922 days
July 30, 2023 to February 5, 2026; > 30 months
No comeback on this list, and not a lot in recent PVL memory, spans a longer gap than that of Jia de Guzman.
The last time fans witnessed her signature ‘Jia-mazing’ orchestration for Creamline was in the winner-take-all title game of the 2023 Invitational Conference.
That day ended in a rare heartbreak for the Cool Smashers, who bowed to Japan’s Kurashiki Ablaze in a five-set classic, 25-19, 23-25, 19-25, 25-20, 13-15.
Even in defeat, de Guzman left her imprint with 33 excellent sets and chipped in five points built on three blocks, an attack and an ace.
What followed stunned the local volleyball scene as the eight-time PVL best setter took her talents overseas, embarking on her first international club stint with Japan’s Denso Airybees in the V.League and with the blessing of Rebisco management.
There, de Guzman captured gold in the 2023–24 Japan V.League Division 1 Women V.Cup and bagged silver in the 72nd Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Tournament.
That period away from the PVL was anything but quiet as the Alas Pilipinas Women captain anchored multiple campaigns across regional competitions, including the AVC Women’s Challenge Cup-turned-Nations Cup, Challenger Cup, SEA V.League, VTV Cup and the SEA Games.
Now, after more than two years away from the Creamline colors, the timing of her return feels almost poetic.
Coming off a rare title-less 2025, the Cool Smashers turn to a familiar conductor as they look to rediscover their championship rhythm.
Her first PVL game back will be against now two-time PVL champion PLDT on Thursday, 6:30 p.m. at the Playtime Filoil Centre.
EYA LAURE (Choco Mucho): 630 days
May 12, 2024 to January 31, 2026; > 20 months
Laure’s road back to the PVL was anything but straightforward, marked by uncertainty, legal hurdles and a prolonged wait away from the hardcourt.
Her split with now-defunct Chery Tiggo turned into one of the league’s most complicated contract disputes, effectively sidelining the former franchise player far longer than expected.
A non-compete clause in her previous deal prevented Laure from immediately signing with another team, forcing an unplanned layoff while her camp explored possible remedies.
Efforts to reach an amicable settlement never materialized the way Laure’s side had hoped, leaving her stuck in limbo and watching from the sidelines as the PVL moved on without her.
The standoff would later be viewed as one of the most high-profile contract rows in league history.
Laure’s final appearance in a Crossovers uniform came in dramatic fashion during the 2024 All-Filipino Conference bronze medal series against Petro Gazz.
After a Game 1 loss in which she still produced 23 points and 11 receptions, Laure powered Chery Tiggo to a stirring five-set comeback in Game 2, 16-25, 11-25, 25-13, 25-22, 18-16.
She capped her Chery Tiggo stint with a monster triple-double of 26 points, 12 digs, and 11 receptions.
Still, an inferior points ratio across the two games denied the Crossovers a podium finish, handing Petro Gazz the bronze.
Like de Guzman, Laure stayed game-ready through international duty with Alas Pilipinas while weighing her next move.
After months of speculation and heavy interest across the league, her long-awaited return will finally come in Choco Mucho colors with her University of Santo Tomas running mates Sisi Rondina, Caitlin Viray, and Alina Bicar.
Her PVL comeback tips off against Akari, one of her free agency suitors, on Saturday, 6:30 p.m. at the Playtime Filoil Centre.
BERNADETH PONS (Creamline): 300 days
April 12, 2025 to February 5, 2026; > 9 months
Pons’ final act on the hardcourt before briefly shifting her focus to the sands was far from a fairytale ending.
Her last PVL appearance came at the tail end of the 2024–25 All-Filipino Conference, when she suited up for Creamline one final time before fully committing to SEA Games beach volleyball preparations alongside fellow Cool Smasher Dij Rodriguez, Choco Mucho star Sisi Rondina and Sunny Villapando.
That finale unraveled in a high-stakes Game 3 against Petro Gazz that ended in heartbreak as the Cool Smashers absorbed a rare championship defeat, 21-25, 16-25, 25-23, 19-25, surrendering the All-Filipino crown for the first time in four years.
Despite the setback, Pons still delivered a team-high 17 points to go with 10 digs in the loss before receiving the second best outside hitter award in that conference.
What followed her temporary departure was an unfamiliar stretch for Creamline.
Without Pons, the perennial champions hit a rare rough patch as they settled for back-to-back bronze finishes and even missed the podium altogether in the year-ending Reinforced Conference for the first time in franchise history.
Still, stepping away from indoor play proved to be a worthwhile move for Pons as she helped power the Philippines to its first-ever SEA Games beach volleyball gold medal in Thailand last December, marking a historic breakthrough for the program.
Now back on the hardcourt, Pons looks to translate that golden momentum into Creamline’s title chase.
Her return comes just in time for a marquee showdown against two-time PVL champion PLDT, where she hopes to help restore the Cool Smashers’ familiar winning standard.
SISI RONDINA (Choco Mucho): 295 days
April 12, 2025 to January 31, 2026; > 9 months
Like Pons, Sisi Rondina’s final PVL appearance before shifting her focus to the SEA Games also ended in disappointment on the very same day, no less.
Just hours before Creamline relinquished the All-Filipino crown to Petro Gazz, Choco Mucho saw its own medal bid fall apart at the finish line.
The Flying Titans and Akari had split the first two games of their bronze medal series, setting the stage for a winner-take-all decider for the final podium spot.
Had the championship series wrapped up in two games, Choco Mucho’s four-set win in Game 2 would have been enough to secure bronze via points ratio over Akari’s five-set victory in the opener.
But the rubber match didn't go Choco Mucho’s way.
Rondina & Co. ran out of gas in the do-or-die contest, getting swept by the Chargers, 15-25, 24-26, 24-26, and ultimately settling for a fourth-place finish.
The former PVL MVP still managed to sign off her 2025 indoor campaign with 14 points and 10 digs in her final outing.
Rondina’s absence was deeply felt in the months that followed. As the franchise cornerstone, her departure coincided with a sharp dip in form for the Flying Titans that wound up 10th in the PVL on Tour and ninth in the Reinforced Conference.
Now, coming off a historic SEA Games beach volleyball gold in Thailand, Rondina returns with renewed confidence and momentum.
With Eya Laure set to share the offensive load, the dynamic winger is eyeing a return to relevance for Choco Mucho and a long-awaited push back into the championship picture.
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