From career doubts to leading PLDT’s charge for back-to-back PVL crowns, Savi Davison has turned her “best risk” into a story of growth and belonging in the Philippines.
There was a time when Savi Davison didn’t see herself pursuing volleyball beyond college.
But what began as a “one-time try” has turned into a defining chapter of her life, leading the PLDT High Speed Hitters to the cusp of back-to-back PVL titles.
Davison, who finished with a degree in Biochemistry and a minor in Human Biology from New Mexico State University, originally set her sights on medical school.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic altered her path, pushing her to pursue an MBA instead. After a year of pause to “find herself,” volleyball came calling from the Philippines.
“I didn’t actually want to go professional after college,” she admitted during an interview on Noli Eala’s Power and Play.
“They kind of talked me into just maybe a one-time conference and see how I feel. It actually turned out to be the best risk I could have taken, so I'm glad that life turned out this way.”
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That risk became the spark that brought her to the High Speed Hitters, which has allowed her to rediscover her sporting passion and ground herself in a new environment.
Now at the heart of PLDT’s rise, Davison often emphasizes that the team’s success is a product of collective hard work, not individual shine.
“It’s a result of all the hard work and dedication we put into our practices, the support that we have for each other,” she said. “It’s nice to see it all come into fruition—and even better to go through it with PLDT.”
With the High Speed Hitters riding the momentum of their PVL On Tour championship and another Finals berth in the Invitational, Davison knows that being at the peak means carrying a different kind of pressure.
“Once you’re in first place, everybody has a target on your back,” she noted. “They [opponents] always bring their best game because they know you’re at the top. So you always have to show up with your best every game, every point, every set.”
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For someone who once wasn’t sure she wanted to go pro, Davison has now become one of the faces of a team chasing history.
And in her own words, she’s simply glad life turned out this way.