MANILA, Philippines – Despite her accomplished UAAP career coming to an end, Alyssa Valdez will still be playing volleyball.
The 3-time UAAP MVP and now former Ateneo Lady Eagle said in a press conference on Wednesday, May 4, that she will be seeing action in the upcoming 13th season of the Shakey’s V-League, but remains uncertain for which team.
“I will still be playing here for V-League but I don’t have a team yet,” said Valdez, per ABS-CBN Sports. “Kasi wala pa po talaga kaming nakakausap.”
(Because I haven’t talked to any team yet.)
The 22-year-old athlete leaves the UAAP with two championships after playing for 5 seasons plus 4 Best Scorer awards, 3 Best Server awards, and a Finals MVP award.
Valdez also has prior experience in the Shakey’s V-League, where she’s been named MVP and led her team, PLDT Home Ultera, to the Open Conference and Reinforced Conference championships last year.
Valdez also said that she’s open to playing competitively outside the Philippines and for the country’s national team.
“I’m really open to play outside of the country and if given a chance also play for the national team and who wouldn’t want that?” Valdez said.
“’Yun pa lang po as of now and try to finish my studies in Ateneo.”
(That’s it for now, as well as trying to finish my studies in Ateneo.)
The Ateneo product suited up for the national team during the Asian Under-23 Championship and Southeast Asian Games in 2015.
She also said that there are no formal offers yet as of the moment for Valdez to take her talents abroad, but there were prior to her last season with the Lady Eagles.
"Before noong (UAAP) season may mga offers, fortunately, pero hindi ako makapag-commit kasi nga may UAAP and we really have to focus on school also," she said.
(Before the UAAP season there were offers, fortunately, but I wasn’t able to commit because the UAAP was going on and we really have to focus on school also.)
“But now if given a chance,” she said, “kung babalikan tayo ng mga taong 'yun, bakit naman hindi natin pagbibigyan and I think it's another way to show siguro other countries na I think Philippine volleyball is also nagiging competitive.”
(But now if given a chance, if we go back to those people, why don’t we give them a chance. I also think it’s another way to show other countries that Philippine volleyball is becoming competitive.)
Valdez said that there were offers from Hawaii, Thailand, and Chinese-Taipei. – Rappler.com