Will Alyssa Solomon’s Korea V-League draft withdrawal serve as a sign to revisit the UAAP’s longstanding rules on amateurism?
Oh, what could have been for Alyssa Solomon.
Now in her last year with the NU Lady Bulldogs, Solomon surprised just about everyone last March 6, as her name was included among the 143 aspirants trying their luck in the 2025 Korea V-League Asian Quota Draft organized by the Korean Volleyball Federation (KOVO).
Three days after the KOVO’s list was published, the towering spiker confirmed her application, sharing how an agent offered her the chance to throw her hat into the V-League draft.
“Actually parang biglaan lang siya since focused ako sa UAAP that time, and biglang may nag-approach sakin na agent, na tinanong kung gusto ko mag-try out sa [Korean V-League] and tinanong ko kung online or kailangan ko pumunta doon. Sabi naman online, so parang wala akong magiging problema, mag-submit lang ako ng mga files na kailangan,” Solomon recalled at the time.
Unfortunately, Solomon has since set aside her Korean draft plans, which goes back to her amateur status as a UAAP volleyball player with the Lady Bulldogs.
But as a silver lining, the six-foot-two spiker can still take part in the Lady Bulldogs’ title defense, with the UAAP Board of Managing Directors upholding her eligibility following a thorough deliberation.
“While the BMD noted that Solomon did apply and was included in the draft list of the 2025 Korean Volleyball Federation Asian Quota Draft, her subsequent action in immediately withdrawing her application allowed her to continue competing in the ongoing UAAP Season,” the BMD’s statement last March 18 read.
What we know about the UAAP’s side
Nearly a week after Solomon’s application, rumors began swirling on social media that one of the four Filipina aspirants pulled out of the Asian Quota Draft, which turned out to be the towering spiker, according to reports last March 14.
Solomon was reportedly informed about the possible consequences of her draft application, causing her to withdraw and shift her full focus to the Lady Bulldogs’ UAAP Season 87 title defense.
The said reason? The UAAP’s 10-year-old rule on amateurism, that a player will lose their amateur status if they join the draft pool of any professional league. The criteria was reportedly established after UAAP Season 76, where seniors including Terrence Romeo applied for the PBA Draft ahead of its September 12 deadline amid the ongoing UAAP season.
According to a Tiebreaker Times column, the now-Board of Managing Directors sought to prevent any conflict of interest with the ruling, while ensuring the student athletes’ full commitment to their respective schools.
So far, the ruling has only been relaxed for the pandemic-stricken UAAP Season 84, where the Men’s Basketball Tournament was held from March 22 to May 13, which would have overlapped with the PBA’s May 7 deadline.
“Kung ‘yun na lang din naman, two teams are remaining, and kung one or two games ang natitira… Parang the danger sought to be avoided is wala na doon masyado,” UAAP Executive Director Rebo Saguisag said at the time.
A cautionary tale, or signal to adapt?
This is indeed a lost opportunity for Alyssa Solomon, whose skillset and six-foot-two frame will be perfect against equally imposing competition overseas. Just look at her Alas Pilipinas stint last year, where she bagged her second Best Opposite Spiker award in the SEA V.League as a steady source of offense for the nationals.
However, it’s also true that the UAAP’s longstanding rules could have been violated. If we’re being objective, this seems to be more of a “rules are rules” type of situation and there’s nothing exactly malicious at play here.
So, is the chapter closed? On paper, yes.
But we’d also like to point out some unresolved questions, which may serve as points for reflection as the issue reaches its inevitable conclusion.
For one, was Solomon aware of the UAAP’s ruling before pushing through with the V-League application, or was NU’s top brass informed of her grand plans? Based on the facts at hand, the situation seems to have been an oversight, which could have been avoided with proper communication as soon as the opportunity was presented to the star opposite.
And for the UAAP, should this be a sign to revisit their current regulations?
Just some food for thought, perhaps, given that Solomon’s situation can still be considered an isolated case. After all, direct hiring still looks to be the norm for overseas leagues, such as the B.League and KBL for basketball, and the Japan V.League for volleyball.
However, it’s also a valid argument that Solomon is also graduating, and the V-League doesn’t exactly start until October this year. And in the context of a draft, it’s also worth noting that nothing is set in stone yet, and players are just trying their luck in the hopes of getting picked by a team.
In the V-League alone, only Petro Gazz’s MJ Philips has been successfully drafted, while the likes of Tots Carlos, Jia Morado-De Guzman, and Mylene Paat weren’t selected during the past two Asian Quota Drafts.
Well, it’s now up to the UAAP and all other stakeholders on how they will move forward from the whole issue, and whether or not this will be a possible reason for rule changes in the next few seasons.
As for Alyssa Solomon, she’s already confirmed to have a backup plan beyond the Land of the Morning Calm, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if more opportunities come her way once she wraps up her career in Jhocson.
Banner image from UAAP Media Bureau.