-8679.JPG)
Cignal star Vanie Gandler is 2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference MVP. PVL Media Bureau
MANILA — Vanie Gandler was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference.
Gandler, 25, was the force behind Cignal's stellar campaign, which saw a silver medal finish in the tourney. She led the team to a 6-3 record after the preliminaries, and showed the way for the Super Spikers' Finals return after two years.
The Ateneo de Manila University product concluded as fourth in scoring by the end of the semifinals with 209 total points built on 182 attacks, 17 kill blocks, and 10 service aces.
The end of the semis is the statistical cut-off for the highest individual honor.
She ranked ninth in spiking with a 31.93 percent clip while placing seventh in both serving with 0.23 aces per set and receiving at 36.59 percent.
“This is very meaningful to me because I fought really hard to be where I am today,” said Gandler after receiving the award.
“I fought through so many failures. I fought through so much doubt. But I'm pretty grateful for those that were with me,” she added.
2026 PVL All-Filipino Conference individual awardees. PVL Media Bureau
Joining the individual awardees is Bella Belen, who was named Best Outside Spiker and Rookie of the Conference after an impressive personal run, garnering 218 points on 199 attacks, eight blocks, and 11 aces before the Capital1 Solar Spikers bowed out of the play-in stage.
READ: Creamline completes redemption, takes down Cignal for 11th PVL crown
Nxled's Brooke Van Sickle added another feather to her cap with a Best Outside Spiker nod, concluding at seventh in scoring with 175 points, seventh in spiking at a 33.12 percent success rate, and ninth in serving with 0.22 aces per set, while ranking third in receiving efficiency at 40.71 percent.
Farm Fresh’s Trisha Tubu is once again Best Opposite Spiker — her fifth of the said award — after towing the Foxies to a breakthrough semifinals appearance.
She led the league in scoring, firing 251 points on 216 attacks (41.70 percent success rate), along with 30 blocks and five aces.
Creamline's Pangs Panaga nabbed a record-extending 10th Best Middle Blocker plum, helping the Cool Smashers return to the top.
READ: PVL: Creamline dominates Cignal in Game 1 sweep, inches closer to All-Filipino crown
She led all middle blockers in total kill blocks with 37 and ranked second in blocks per set at 0.76.
Zus Coffee's Riza Nogales was the other Best Middle Blocker after topping the PVL in blocks per set at 0.80 and finished fourth in total blocks with 28.
Cignal’s Gel Cayuna and PLDT’s Kath Arado were Best Setter and Best Libero awardees, respectively.
Cayuna, who also steered the Super Spikers to a Finals appearance, was third in setting with 4.48 excellent sets per set, while also leading all setters in service aces with 0.34 per set.
Arado still proved to be a torn in the defense, earning her sixth Best Libero honors after ranking second in digging with 4.71 digs per set, anchoring PLDT with her prowess and leadership to the Final Four.