Enderun standouts make history in PVL Draft

The 2025 Premier Volleyball League Rookie Draft wasn’t just about the usual suspects from UAAP and NCAA powerhouses—it was also a breakthrough moment for two determined athletes from a school that has long flown under the radar.

Enderun Colleges’ pride, Zen Perolino and Erika Deloria, made history Sunday night at the Novotel Hotel as they became the first players from the NAASCU-based program to be drafted in the PVL, proving that the road to the pros doesn’t have to be paved by the spotlight.

Deloria, a 24-year-old outside hitter who quietly built her resume as a former NAASCU MVP and MPVA Best Outside Hitter, was selected 20th overall by Chery Tiggo. Just one pick later, her teammate and fellow Lady Titan Zen Perolino followed suit, going 21st overall to PLDT.

For Deloria, the moment was nothing short of divine.

“Dream ko talaga mag-UAAP. Hindi siya nangyari, pero hindi pa rin ako tumigil, and the Lord gave me something better,” she said, voice brimming with gratitude.

Despite not receiving the fanfare and attention that typically surround athletes from marquee leagues, Deloria never let go of her dream. She trained in silence, stayed grounded in faith, and let her work speak louder than the absence of TV cameras.

“I want to be an inspiration to people na feeling nila dahil ‘di kami kilala, wala nang chance. For me, yung journey ko hindi madali. But if you want something and you work hard for it, it’s possible,” she added.

Deloria took pride not just in her own achievement, but in being part of a historic moment for Enderun alongside her middle blocker teammate Perolino.

“Na-draft kaming dalawa ni Zen. It brings pride to the school and to Coach Dong [Dela Cruz],” Deloria said. “Kahit under the radar kami, Coach Dong really produces quality players. We just needed the chance.”

Perolino, standing at 6-feet tall, credited that exact chance—and her growth—to the man behind the Enderun program. Coach Dong Dela Cruz, who also serves as lead assistant for the National University men’s volleyball team, instilled a tested and proven system that bridged the gap between small programs and the elite.

“One of the reasons why we were overthinking was because we’re not part of the UAAP,” Perolino admitted. “But we believe in the system that our coach at Enderun, Coach Dong Dela Cruz, offered to us. He’s been a really great coach.”

“The system we have is the same system used by NU Men’s and Choco Mucho, which has been proven. So beyond the fear, we have high faith—in ourselves, in God, and in the training we've done.”

Now stepping into the professional realm, Perolino is eager to learn and grow beside her volleyball idols. At PLDT, she joins a formidable middle blocker corps headlined by Majoy Baron, Mika Reyes, and Dell Palomata.

“Ever since I started playing, sila talaga 'yung mga middle blockers na I look up to. Now that I’m going to play with them, I want to learn, and hopefully, makasabay ako sa binibigay nila sa PLDT,” she said.

Meanwhile, Deloria is just as motivated to prove that she belongs with the best. Joining a stacked Chery Tiggo lineup, the hard-hitting outside spiker knows the road ahead won’t be easy—but it’s one she’s ready for.

“Gusto ko lang i-thank ‘yung Chery Tiggo for taking the risk. Kahit hindi ako kilala, kinuha nila ako,” Deloria said. “That trust means everything to me.”