Gandler caps long fight with PVL MVP

Vanie Gandler’s long climb from collegiate scrutiny to professional recognition reached a peak Thursday night when the Cignal outside hitter was named Most Valuable Player of the 2026 Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference.

The award marked a breakthrough for the 25-year-old Alas Pilipinas mainstay, whose rise has been shaped by setbacks, doubt and steady improvement.

“It’s very meaningful to me. I fought really hard to be where I am today. I fought through so many failures, I fought through so much doubt,” Gandler said.

Gandler played for Ateneo in the UAAP before moving to the professional ranks, where questions about her game continued to follow her.

Instead of letting the criticism define her, Gandler turned it into motivation.

“I’m proud of myself. I’m definitely a player, a person who keeps trying, keeps pushing forward. It doesn’t matter what people say. I have a great career, a great team. I’m blessed to have this career,” said the Alas Pilipinas mainstay.

Gandler also credited the people around her for helping her stay grounded through the highs and lows of her career.

“I have a great family and great support system, so that’s what matters to me,” she added.

Her MVP campaign anchored Cignal’s run to the finals, where the Super Spikers finished as runners-up to Creamline.

The PVL said Gandler powered Cignal to the No. 2 seed with a 6-3 record and helped bring the team back to the finals for the first time in two years. (PVL)

Gandler finished as the fourth-best scorer in the conference, seventh in aces, seventh in reception, and ninth in spiking efficiency.

Those numbers reflected her value as one of Cignal’s most complete players on both offense and defense.

More than a personal milestone, Gandler said she hopes her story inspires others who are working through doubt.

“I really hold that purpose na I want to show people na with hard work and dedication, you can reach your goals. Like you can get anywhere. (It) doesn’t matter what people say as long as you keep working and believe in yourself,” she said.

Cignal ultimately fell short of its championship goal after losing to Creamline and settling for silver.

For Gandler, the campaign still showed growth for a team that fought through adversity together.

“Yeah, it wasn’t our goal, but I’m still proud of the team because we fought really hard to be here today to get a silver medal. Of course, now we know what we need to improve on, our lapses, and this will definitely motivate us to push harder.” (PVL)