After six long years, Alyssa Valdez is ready to once again represent the country on home soil.
The Creamline Cool Smashers star is set to compete in the 2025 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Champions League, marking her highly anticipated return to international play.
The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) announced that Creamline and the Petro Gazz Angels will represent the Philippines in the continental tournament, which will take place from April 20 to 27 at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
The selection was based on the top two teams after the PVL preliminary round, with both squads finishing with identical 10-1 records.
For Valdez, the opportunity to represent the country once more is both an honor and a responsibility.
“I just said it a few weeks ago, but now I’ve been given another chance, so I take it as a big opportunity to showcase everything I’ve learned from my previous experiences with the national team,” Valdez shared. “Very blessed to be given this opportunity, and I hope we can put on a great performance for the Philippines.”
The last time the 5-foot-9 outside hitter competed internationally at home was during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, where the Philippines finished fourth.
While the country also hosted the 2022 AVC Cup for Women, Valdez was unable to suit up due to dengue, making this return all the more special.
“I think the last time I played for the national team in front of our home crowd was back in the 2019 SEA Games, so it’s very exciting,” she said.
“It’s just so nice na kahit papaano kasama natin ang ating mga kababayan na lumaban representing our country. Exciting times for Philippine volleyball. Hindi lang naman ito nilu-look forward natin, madaming international tournaments, especially the men’s. World championships will be here also, so exciting times for Philippine volleyball.”
