PVL: Farm Fresh, ZUS Coffee commit draft picks to Alas Pilipinas

FILE–The PVL rookie class of 2025 during the draft at Novotel. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Farm Fresh and ZUS Coffee pledged their first and second round draft picks in this year’s PVL Rookie Draft to the Alas Pilipinas program.

Strong Group Athletics, which owns Farm Fresh and ZUS Coffee, has expressed its full support for the Philippine women’s volleyball program until the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in the Philippines in 2029.

“SGA fully recognizes the magnitude of this once-in-a-lifetime event and reaffirms its commitment, alongside the rest of the Philippine volleyball community, to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the success of the country’s hosting,” wrote SGA.

Farm Fresh and ZUS Coffee said they will cover the salaries, allowances, and incentives of the four players they will draft and send to the Alas pool.

The PVL has said there will be no changes in the existing policies of its drafting system after the Philippine National Volleyball Federation floated the idea of the Alas Pilipinas draft last February.

In the past two drafts, ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles selected Rookie of the Year and first overall pick Thea Gagate in 2024, then picked AC Miner at No. 5 last year, before landing a third-round steal in Riza Nogales, who went on to become a two-time Best Middle Blocker.

Farm Fresh also got vital pieces in all-around player Maicah Larroza in 2024 and setter Alohi Robins-Hardy last year.

Meanwhile, five from the 27-player wishlist for Alas Pilipinas have withdrawn from the 2026 AVC Women’s Nations Cup from June 6 to 14, namely ex-Cignal stars Erika Santos and Vanie Gandler, PLDT’s Alleiah Malaluan, and Kianna Dy, and Adamson’s UAAP MVP Shaina Nitura.

The PNVF said that the players only begged off for the tournament–not the whole national team program–and will send out more invites to other players.