Even with a major international accolade to her name, Dell Palomata remains the same selfless soldier at the heart of the net.
Fresh off a silver-medal finish with Alas Pilipinas in the 2025 AVC Women’s Nations Cup, Palomata deflected the spotlight after being named one of the tournament’s Best Middle Blockers, choosing instead to highlight the collective effort behind her individual success.
The 6-foot-3 stalwart averaged 1.83 blocks and 5.83 points across six games, serving as a pillar of strength in the middle as the national team stormed to its first-ever finals appearance in the AVC.
It was also the first silver medal for the country in a major continental tournament since the 1997 Southeast Asian Games.
“Hindi ko naman makukuha yung Best Middle Blocker award kung hindi sa tulong ng teammates at coaches ko,” said the PLDT standout during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday.
“Siguro yung help nila sa akin through the AVC tournament — kasi minsan parang nawawala na rin ako sa wisyo — sinasabihan nila ako na ‘kaya ko, kaya ko pa lumaban.’ Malaking bagay na rin sa akin yun, lalo na sa role ko bilang middle blocker,” she added.
Palomata’s presence at the net was instrumental in Alas Women’s unprecedented run, which ended in a hard-fought loss to host Vietnam in the championship match. While the team fell in straight sets, the result marked a historic breakthrough for the country in Asian volleyball.
She joined team captain Jia de Guzman and rising star Angel Canino in the AVC Dream Team. De Guzman bagged her second consecutive Best Setter award, while Canino was named Best Outside Hitter — her second straight citation after winning Best Opposite in the previous edition.
Now a decorated veteran at 29, Palomata emphasized that the recognition is merely fuel to keep pushing forward, especially with the SEA Games in Thailand looming in December.
“Sa akin, yung normal ko lang na galaw — yung work ko po as a middle blocker — magtitiwala po ako sa system ng coaches. Kung ano ‘man yung pinapagawa sa akin, ipro-process ko din po,” she said.
“Work hard, trabaho lang talaga. Kung ano pong mabibigay ko sa team na makakaangat sa system ng team, yun po ang para sa akin.”
