Van Sickle ready to power Alas Pilipinas

Two-time Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Most Valuable Player Brooke Van Sickle leads the official 14-woman Alas Pilipinas women’s roster set to see action in the VTV Cup starting Saturday in Vinh Phuc, Vietnam.

The celebrated Petro Gazz star will make her national team debut alongside new faces in fellow Filipino-Americans MJ Phillips and Tia Andaya in the tournament which will run until 5 July.

Van Sickle and Phillips are in the clear to don the tricolors after successfully completing their change of federation requirements.

All eyes will be on Van Sickle, who led the Angels to a breakthrough 2025 PVL All-Filipino Conference crown a couple of months back, as Alas looks to sustain the momentum of its silver medal finish in the AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup held in Hanoi two weeks ago.

Brazilian head coach Jorge De Brito trimmed the 17-woman pool on Thursday, leaving middles Thea Gagate, Fifi Sharma and winger Vanie Gandler on reserve roles.

The trio participated in the Nations Cup.

Skipper and back-to-back Nations Cup Best Setter Jia de Guzman spearheads Alas’ charge alongside holdovers veteran libero Dawn Catindig, Eya Laure and Nations Cup Best Middle Blocker Dell Palomata.

Also making the cut are newcomers Justine Jazareno, Leila Cruz, Alleiah Malaluan, Amie Provido and Mars Alba with returnees Lams Lamina and Maddie Madayag.

Notably, several players from the AVC Nations Cup silver-medal team will be sitting out the VTV Cup, including Bella Belen, Best Outside Spiker Angel Canino, Alyssa Solomon, Shaina Nitura, Jennifer Nierva, Clarisse Loresco and Julia Coronel (Galleries).

Alas will open its campaign in Pool A against Vietnam on Sunday in a rematch of the Nations Cup championship.

The Filipinas will then take on Sichuan Wuliangchun of China on 30 June before wrapping the elims against Australia on 1 July.