Having been teammates for nearly eight years, Bella Belen has complete faith that Alyssa Solomon will be selected in the 2025 Korean V-League Asian Quota Draft.
Belen and Solomon have been part of the National University volleyball program since 2017, when the Lady Bullpups clinched the UAAP Season 80 high school girls’ championship.
That year, Belen was named Season MVP, while Solomon earned Rookie of the Year honors.
Fast forward to today, after numerous individual and team achievements, the dynamic duo of the NU Lady Bulldogs are now in their final UAAP season.
Solomon is among the 43 Asian import applicants in the Korean league draft, joining fellow Filipinas Mars Alba of Choco Mucho, Majoy Baron of PLDT, and Maddie Madayag, who currently plays in Japan’s V.League.
“Nung nakita namin, tapos nakita namin yung mga pwede niyang makasama doon sa tryouts. Sabi ko, malaki yung chance ni Ate Aly kasi yun nga, maganda yung pinapakita niya and maganda yung mga naipakita niya this past UAAP namin and sa international leagues,” shared Belen on Sunday after NU’s straight-set win over the University of the Philippines.
“So hopefully, sana po makuha si Ate Aly.”
(C) Joaqui Flores/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
At just 23 years old, the 6-foot-2 opposite spiker already boasts an impressive résumé. Beyond being a two-time UAAP champion, the pride of Santa Rosa, Laguna, is also a two-time Best Opposite Spiker and the reigning Finals MVP.
Internationally, Solomon has further solidified her reputation, earning two Best Opposite Spiker awards in the Southeast Asia V.League.
Despite her entry into the KOVO Draft, Belen insists that Solomon remains locked in on NU’s bid for back-to-back UAAP titles.
“Sa training naman po, nakikita naman namin and sa game na kahit na nag-apply si Ate Aly, siya rin naman mismo nagsabi na wala pa naman yun, tryout pa lang,” she said.
“So, nakikita ko naman na naka-focus pa rin naman si Ate Aly. And malaki naman na po siya, alam naman na po namin yung priorities namin.”
#WATCH: NU head coach Sherwin Meneses, Alyssa Solomon, and Bella Belen commend UP for putting up a tough fight 🏐
📹 @ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/cCRONQSEIN
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) March 9, 2025
