Cloanne Mondoñedo capped her strongest PVL campaign by winning the Best Setter award and now looks to lead the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles into a bigger 2026 season.
Cloanne Mondoñedo closed out her strongest PVL campaign yet by taking home the Best Setter award in the 2025 Reinforced Conference.
Even after ZUS Coffee fell short against Petro Gazz in the winner-take-all championship match, Mondoñedo’s performance stood out all conference long, orchestrating a young Thunderbelles squad that exceeded expectations from opening day to championship night.
For her, the individual honor carries a deeper meaning.
“Actually, di ko naman gusto talaga nilu-look up 'yung individual award eh, pero thank you pa rin kasi, parang ang sarap sa pakiramdam na ma-recognize,” Mondoñedo told One Sports.
A long-awaited recognition
Mondoñedo shared that she never entered the conference thinking about personal awards.
But receiving the Best Setter plum this early in her pro career—after years of grinding since her collegiate days at the College of Saint Benilde—made the moment more meaningful.
“Sobrang tagal kong hinihintay yun noong simula ng collegiate ako. And then, once nabigay, and then now, pero sobrang aga pa lang nabigay agad,” she said. “With the help of my teammates, nakuha ko siya agad. That's why I'm so happy.”
Fuel for the next conference
As ZUS Coffee heads into 2026, attention now turns to how the team will adjust without Best Foreign Guest Player Anna DeBeer.
Cloanne Mondoñedo and ZUS Coffee during the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference Finals. | Photo: RM Chua/One Sports
Mondoñedo knows the challenge is significant, but she also believes the Thunderbelles have more than enough to hold their ground.
“Siyempre, puwede mo din siyang gawing motivation eh, coming to the next conference,” she said. “Maraming bago kasi mawawala si Anna, but then, naniniwala ako at naginiwala ako sa mga teammates ko na mag-step up din sila sa All-Filipino.”
With her confidence boosted and her role growing, Mondoñedo is preparing to elevate her playmaking even further as ZUS Coffee aims to finally break through for its first PVL crown.
“Sa dami-dami lang mga nilu-look up ko na veteran setter isa pa ako dun sa na-recognize. And siguro ito, parang ang sarap dalhin sa next season. So, I think mas magagandang boost siya ng confidence for me to do my job well pa,” said Mondoñedo.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.