PVL: Cignal standout Vanie Gandler named All-Filipino MVP
Cignal Super Spikers’ Vanie Gandler is the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference MVP. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Vanie Gandler claimed her first Most Valuable Player award as the Cignal rising star emerged as the top player of the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference.
Despite a heartbreaking Game 2 finals loss to Creamline, Gandler raised the Conference MVP trophy on Thursday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The MVP is the first individual award for the Ateneo product in her third year in the PVL.
The Alas Pilipinas outside spiker became the third player from Cignal to win a PVL MVP after Super Spiker-turned-Farm Fresh Foxy Ces Molina in the 2023 Invitational Conference and teammate Erika Santos in last year’s PVL on Tour.
The 25-year-old Gandler was the Super Spikers’ top scorer and fourth in the league with 209 points off 182 spikes, 17 blocks, and 10 aces. She was ninth in spiking with 31.93 percent atttack rate, seventh best server with 0.23 aces per set, and seventh best receiver with 36.59 percent efficiency.
In the semifinals, Gandler delivered a sensational performance of 24 points, 10 digs, and 10 receptions to lead Cignal back to the Finals after two years with a four-set win over Creamline.
Top rookie
Capital1 Solar Spikers’ Bella Belen during a game against Choco Mucho Flying Titans in the 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Capital1’s top overall pick Bella Belen captured the Rookie of the Conference and Best Outside Spiker. She was the third-best scorer with 218 points built on 199 kills, eight blocks, and 11 aces.
The National University product was also the fourth-best spiker with 35.16 percent attack rate, fourth in service with 0.31 aces per set, sixth in digging with 3.06 digs per set, and second in receiving with 40.84 percent efficiency.
Her team Capital1, however, lost in the first stage of the Play-In.
Former league MVP Brooke Van Sickle won her third Best Outside Spiker award in her first conference for Nxled. She was seventh in scoring with 175 points off 155 spikes, 12 blocks, and eight aces. She was seventh in spiking with 33.12 percent attack rate, ninth in service with 0.22 aces per set, and third in receiving with 40.71 percent efficiency.
Trisha Tubu earned her fifth Best Opposite Spiker award after emerging as the top scorer with 251 points off 216 spikes, 30 blocks, and five aces and top spiker with 41.70% attack rate. She was sixth in blocking with 0.58 kill blocks per set.
Cignal’s Gel Cayuna is now a five-time Best Setter after emerging third in the setting department with 4.48 excellent sets per frame and also topping the league in service with 0.34 aces per set.
ZUS Coffee rookie Riza Nogales earned her second Best Middle Blocker award after emerging as the league’s top blocker with 0.80 kill blocks per set. Creamline’s Pangs Panaga became a 10-time Best Middle Blocker after finishing second in the department with 0.76 kill blocks per set.
PLDT’s Kath Arado is now the league’s winningest Best Libero with her sixth award after tying Thang Ponce in the Best Diggers with 4.71 digs per set
