Angel Canino continues to shine on the international stage, earning her second Best Outside Hitter award of the year as Alas Pilipinas clinched the bronze medal in the first leg of the 2025 Southeast Asia V.League held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
Fresh off her silver-medal performance in the 2025 AVC Nations Cup last June — where she also bagged the same individual honor — Canino once again showcased her dominance among the region’s top hitters.
This latest accolade marks her third international individual award, further cementing her rising stardom in Southeast Asian volleyball.
Before her back-to-back Best Outside Hitter nods, the De La Salle University standout made her international debut by claiming the Best Opposite Hitter award in the 2024 edition of the Nations Cup.
(C) SAVA
With Alas Pilipinas reeling from two consecutive losses to start this year’s tournament, it was Canino who spearheaded the team’s resurgence in their bronze-medal match against Indonesia.
The UAAP Season 85 Rookie-MVP delivered in the clutch, scoring five of the team’s final six points in the fourth set to secure the Philippines’ third straight bronze — and fifth overall since the SEA V.League’s inception in 2019.
Canino remained a consistent force throughout the three-day competition. She tallied 16 points in the opener against eventual champions Thailand and followed it up with another solid showing in a hard-fought four-set loss to Vietnam.
Thailand’s Pimpichaya Kokram emerged as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, which featured four national squads: the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
Joining Canino on the tournament’s Dream Team was Thai veteran Ajcharaporn Kongyot, who also received Best Outside Hitter honors. Thatdao Nuekjang (Thailand) and Tran Thi Bich Thuy (Vietnam) were named Best Middle Blockers, while Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen (Vietnam) took home the Best Opposite Hitter award.
Rounding out the selection were Thailand’s Pornpun Guedpard as Best Setter and Vietnam’s Nguyen Khanh Dang as Best Libero.
The second leg of the SEA V.League is set to take place from August 8 to 10 in Ninh Binh, Vietnam.
