Brooke Van Sickle, Savi Davison, MJ Phillips start process to play for PH

MANILA, Philippines — Brooke Van Sickle, Savi Davison, and MJ Phillips have expressed their interest to play for the Philippine women’s volleyball team and started the process of changing their respective federations to the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF).

PNVF vice president Ricky Palou on Friday said that the three Filipino-Foreign PVL players are already working their way to represent the country in future international tournaments.

Palou hopes the trio will be given clearance by the FIVB in June.

READ: Jorge De Brito to step down as PH volleyball coach at end of contract

“The PNVF has started the process to get Van Sickle, Davison, and MJ Phillips to transfer from their federations to the Philippine federation. I think we should get a result by June. If they’re allowed to change federations, we could put them in the pool for the national team,” Palou told reporters.

Davison, who arrived in the country last year to play for PLDT, will be transferring from Canada to the PNVF, while Petro Gazz pair Van Sickle and Phillips from USA volleyball.

“They have Philippine passports. The three of them have agreed actually.But the problem is there’s only a window for changing federations so we’re hoping to make it. We will know by June,” said Palou, who is also the PVL president.

Van Sickle has been sensational for Petro Gazz in his first season, while Phillips, who saw action in South Korea for one season, has been playing in the country since 2017. The middle blocker played once for the national team in the 2021 AVC Club Championship, which allowed foreign players.

READ: Brooke Van Sickle puts PVL on notice with impressive Petro Gazz debut

Davison also rose to the PVL stardom when she debuted for PLDT last year, emerging as one of the league’s top scorers in the past two conferences.

“For me,  if they will be allowed to play in the national team, it will be huge for us. They have experience and you saw how they played in the PVL. So they will be a big help for the national team,” Palou said.

The national team will compete in the AVC Challenge Cup from May 22 to 29 and FIVB Challenger Cup from July 4 to 7 both at Rizal Memorial Stadium.