Thea Gagate made a huge impact after ZUS Coffee selected her as No. 1 overall pick in the first-ever Premier Volleyball League draft last year.

Although the towering middle blocker’s professional debut got delayed due to her national team commitment, Gagate helped turn the Thunderbelles’ fortune around from a winless squad into a playoffs contender in the 2024-2025 All-Filipino Conference.

Her efforts did not go unnoticed as she earned the hands-down choice for Rookie of the Year honors at the coming Pilipinas Live PVL Press Corps Awards Night, which will be held on 28 May at Novotel Manila Araneta City in Quezon City.

The De La Salle University product’s presence powered ZUS Coffee to a first-ever playoff appearance in the 2024-25 All-Filipino Conference.

Gagate, a three-time University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Best Middle Blocker, took ZUS Coffee to greater heights and shook the balance of power after surviving the Play-In round. The Thunderbelles even pushed eventual champion Petro Gazz to its limits in the quarterfinals.

Gagate earned her historic recognition in the formal awards rites presented by ArenaPlus after garnering a weighted score of 148.1 points in the selection that factors in 50 percent statistics, 30 percent media votes, and 20 percent team votes.

The 6-foot-2 frontliner topped all departments with 46.6 statistical points, 65.7 points from media votes, and 35.8 from team votes, besting Cignal’s Ishie Lalongisip (125.8), PLDT setter Angge Alcantara (105.5), and her teammate Shar Ancheta (99.6).

Gagate led the league in total blocks with 48, ranking second in the department with a 0.74 kill blocks per set average. She was the top scorer among middle blockers and 14th overall with 190 points to win one of the two Best Middle Blocker awards.

Her recognition comes alongside the announcement of the PVL Mythical Team, headlined by two-time Most Valuable Player Brooke Van Sickle of Petro Gazz and Creamline’s Bernadeth Pons, both selected as Best Outside Hitters.

Van Sickle led all outside hitters with a weighted score of 195.36 after ending Creamline’s dynasty for Petro Gazz’s maiden All-Filipino crown.

Pons joined her by tallying 150.49 points following a grand slam season that included Reinforced Conference MVP and Finals MVP honors.

In the middle blocker position, PLDT’s Majoy Baron and Creamline’s Bea De Leon stood out with 232.4 and 229.4 weighted scores, respectively, for their defensive command and timely attacks.

Trisha Tubu of Farm Fresh claimed the Best Opposite Hitter award with a season-high 419.8 total points, establishing herself as one of the most dominant scorers of the season.

Cignal’s Gel Cayuna earned the Best Setter award with 326.4 points, steering her team’s offense with poise and tactical awareness.

Rounding out the elite selection was libero and Comeback Player of the Year Alyssa Eroa, who amassed 266.0 points thanks to her sharp court instincts and unwavering defense during her stint with Galeries Tower.

The awards night for the pioneering volleyball league organized by Sports Vision marks a milestone for the PVL and its Press Corps in recognizing the league’s top individual performers from the 2024 Reinforced Conference to the 2025 AFC.