Vanie Gandler skips final UAAP year, joins Cignal HD

MANILA, Philippines — Another Ateneo women’s volleyball star decided to go pro. 

Vanie Gandler opted to forgo her final UAAP season after committing to join the Cignal HD Spikers in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), the veteran spiker announced. 

The decision made Gandler the second Blue Eagles standout to go pro in recent weeks, after captain Faith Nisperos decided to join the Akari Chargers also in the PVL.

“As I enter a new phase of my life after college, I’m more than excited to join a volleyball team such as the Cignal HD Spikers,” Gandler said in a statement released on Thursday, May 18.

“The players, coaching staff, and management more than welcomed me into the fold and I’m looking forward to performing to the best of my abilities to help bring Team Awesome to a higher level,” she added. 

Gandler was part of the Ateneo team that won the UAAP Season 81 women’s volleyball title against the UST Golden Tigresses in 2019.

The 5-foot-9 standout, though, was also one of hundreds of student-athletes affected by the pandemic.

Like Nisperos, Gandler didn’t get to see action for a couple of years as the UAAP suspended the tournament in March 2020 and only resumed play in 2022.

“Here’s to starting new beginnings and getting out of my comfort zone,” said Gandler, sharing the same sentiments as Nisperos.

Ateneo missed the Final Four for the first time since 2010, ending up sixth out of eight teams this season.

Gandler joins a Cignal roster coached by Shaq delos Santos and captained by Rachel Anne Daquis, and supported by players such as Chai Troncoso, Ces Molina, Gel Cayuna, and Ria Meneses.

“Red suits her,” Cignal curtly announced in its social media. 

Cignal missed the 2023 PVL All-Filipino Conference playoffs, ending up sixth with a 3-5 record.

The 2023 Invitational Conference is set to hold its first serve in June. – Rappler.com