EVEN a 60-strong PVL Draft pool for 2025 isn’t spared from eye-raising absences.
READ: PVL increases minimum salary of No. 1 pick to P165K a month
A few big names from the college ranks opted to skip this year’s draft activities, either to explore opportunities elsewhere or to play at least one more year with their respective college teams.
In the lead-up to the league’s second-ever draft, here are some of the brightest stars who opted to forego throwing their names in the mix this year.
ALYSSA SOLOMON (NU)
The most scintillating name missing from the 60-woman list of initial draft applicants is of course Alyssa Solomon.
As first reported by SPIN.ph, the National U winger decided to pass on this year’s draft to pursue opportunities abroad.
The 6-foot-2 ace was hailed best opposite spiker twice in the UAAP seniors’ ranks, where she also copped the Finals MVP plum in Season 85.
Solomon, 23, leaves the Lady Bulldogs a three-time UAAP champion and looks to follow the footsteps of another National U great in Jaja Santiago (Sachi Minowa) overseas.
Whether or not the PVL remains an option for her come next year’s draft, only time will tell.
LAMS LAMINA (NU)
One of college volleyball’s finest playmakers in Lams Lamina went the opposite route of her departing Lady Bulldogs teammates.
The 23-year-old setter has opted to play one more year with National U come UAAP Season 88 in what would then be a three-peat title bid.
A homegrown National U ace, Lamina won two best setter nods in the college level along with three titles.
Her championship-caliber playmaking over the last few UAAP seasons has also earned her a first Alas Pilipinas call-up along with fellow NU standouts Solomon, draft applicant and three-time UAAP MVP Bella Belen and Season 87 co-Finals MVP Vange Alinsug.
ANGEL CANINO (La Salle)
Among the names in this list, La Salle’s Angel Canino and Shevana Laput are the youngest aces in terms of playing years left in the UAAP.
The Season 85 MVP just came off her junior year where she led the Lady Spikers to a silver-medal finish following a two-game title series defeat to National U.
Canino was also feted as the second best outside spiker of Season 87 and received her second national team call-up in a one-year window.
Next year, however, might just be the tipping point for Canino as a potential consensus top pick come the 2026 edition of the draft.
SHEVANA LAPUT (La Salle)
Like Canino, Laput is coming off a bemedalled junior year with La Salle that fell two wins short of her second UAAP title.
The 6-foot-2 spiker bested two-time winner Solomon for the Season 87 best outside hitter nod.
She also earned an Alas Pilipinas call-up shortly after season’s end even as her playing status remains uncertain in light of her existing affiliation with Volleyball Australia.
Her primary focus for the coming year before pondering on a draft entry is to lead the way in La Salle’s Season 88 title redemption tour.
DETDET PEPITO (UST)
Two-time UAAP best libero and University of Santo Tomas captain Detdet Pepito was once unsure if staying put in España would be the best call for her moving forward.
Upon defending her undergraduate thesis and working on her on-the-job training as an elementary education major, Pepito deemed it best to play at least one more season in the UAAP next year.
One of the earliest names thrown into pre-draft conversations before Season 87 began will extend her college career in a bid to win the crown once and for all after two straight podium finishes — a silver and a bronze.
Pepito fell ever-so short of a third best libero nod this season as it was La Salle’s Lyka de Leon who bagged the award.
NIÑA YTANG (UP)
University of the Philippines’ Niña Ytang also had her name floating around talks on who’ll be in this year’s pool of draftees.
Her hat-trick of second best middle blocker nods, which meant winning the award in every UAAP season she’s played so far, made her a shoo-in and even a prospective first-rounder.
It was almost a path similar to that of last year’s No. 1 pick Thea Gagate who won three first best middle blocker plums before foregoing her fourth year and applying for the draft.
But in Ytang’s case, she’ll first have her sights set on leading a retooled Fighting Maroons back to the Final Four in Season 88 after falling one spot shy this year.
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