MANILA – The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) will hold its first-ever rookie draft today, Monday (08 July 2024) at Novotel Manila Araneta City in Cubao, Quezon City.
This marks a significant milestone for the league as it prepares for the Reinforced Conference, set to begin on July 16 at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
ZUS Coffee, previously known as Strong Group, holds the coveted first pick among 47 players vying for spots across 12 teams.
The Thunderbelles are reportedly eyeing middle blocker Thea Allison Gagate, a former La Salle star known for her powerful performance against Vietnam in the FIVB Challenger Cup quarterfinals.
“The first name we wanted is Thea,” said coach Jerry Yee during the PVL Draft Combine.
Capital1, with the second overall pick, is in search of a reliable wing spiker. Coach Roger Gorayeb emphasized the need for an impactful hitter to complement their existing roster.
“Our priority is to get a hitter. We need someone who can immediately contribute to the team,” Gorayeb stated.
Galeries Tower, picking third, has a broader strategy, targeting a middle player, an outside spiker, and a third setter. Farm Fresh, with the fourth pick, is considering Leila Cruz. “We’re grateful for the fourth pick but it’s a tough decision given the talent pool,” said team manager Kiara Cruz.
The draft order continues with Nxled selecting fifth, followed by Akari, Cignal, PLDT, Chery Tiggo, Petro Gazz, Choco Mucho, and Creamline. The drafting process will proceed through multiple rounds until all teams have completed their selections or opted to pass.
The Reinforced Conference introduces a new format, dividing the 12 teams into two pools based on their All-Filipino Conference rankings. Pool A includes Creamline, Chery Tiggo, Farm Fresh, Galeries Tower, Nxled, and PLDT. Pool B consists of reigning Reinforced champion Petro Gazz, Akari, Capital1, Cignal, Choco Mucho, and ZUS Coffee.
The preliminary phase features two stages: a single round-robin within each pool, followed by cross-pool matchups. The top three teams from each pool will face the bottom three from the other pool. Teams will then be ranked using the FIVB Classification System. The top eight teams advance to the knockout quarterfinals, with the winners moving on to the semifinals. The top two teams from the semifinals will compete for the championship, while the losers will vie for the bronze.
The draft and new conference format promise to bring fresh talent and exciting competition to the PVL, setting the stage for an action-packed season.
(el Amigo/mnm)
