Victonara "Ara" Salas Galang (born January 4, 1995) is a multi-awarded, Filipina volleyball player. She was UAAP Rookie of the Year and Best Server during the Season 74 and UAAP Most Valuable Player in the Season 75. She is the former team captain (2014–2015) of the De La Salle University Lady Spikers.

Ara Galang
Personal information
Full nameVictonara Salas Galang
NicknameAra, Vic
NationalityFilipino
Born (1995-01-04) January 4, 1995 (age 29)
HometownAngeles City, Philippines
Height172 cm (5 ft 7+12 in)[1]
Weight53 kg (117 lb)
Spike282 cm (111 in)
Block270 cm (106 in)
College / UniversityDe La Salle University
Volleyball information
PositionOutside/Open Hitter
Current clubChery Tiggo Crossovers
Career
YearsTeams
2016–2023F2 Logistics Cargo Movers
2024–presentChery Tiggo Crossovers

Career

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Galang was discovered by DLSU Lady Spikers head coach, Ramil de Jesus during one of her games at the Shakey's V-League girls division in 2009. She was a junior high school at Angeles University Foundation at that time. She played with AUF Great Danes from 2007 to 2011, being awarded Best Attacker in 2011 in the Shakey's Girls Volleyball League.[2]

She has been awarded with the Sports Achievement Award and Class Valedictorian while in Holy Family Academy in elementary school, Athlete of the Year and Class Valedictorian in the Angeles University Foundation High School and Consistent Dean's Lister in De La Salle University. She also won the Best Server award playing for Palarong Pambansa in 2011.

In 2011, she joined the DLSU Lady Spikers to defend their championship title of the 74th season of UAAP women's volleyball tournament together with Cha Cruz, Michele Gumabao, and Aby Maraño. They were declared as the back-to-back champions and she also grabbed the Best Server award and was hailed as the Rookie of the Year.[3] For the 2012 PVF Intercollegiate Volleyball Championship, she was awarded Best Attacker.[4]

The following season, Galang was awarded Most Valuable Player, shared with Aby Maraño winning her third consecutive championship in the UAAP Season 75 tournament.[5] For the season 76, the DLSU Lady Spikers lost to ADMU Lady Eagles ending their campaign finishing as league's first runner up. She was awarded Best Attacker during the 2014 Philippine National Games.[6] She was chosen as the team captain in Season 77 for the Lady Spikers. She led her team to reach the number two spot on the league with a 10–2 win–loss record on the elimination round. She was also a top contender along with Alyssa Valdez for MVP title of the season.[7] She tore her ACL and MCL ligaments and got a big bone bruise during their do-or-die stepladder match with National University on March 7, 2015. She failed to join her team at the Finals to face the Ateneo Lady Eagles for the fourth consecutive time. However, they were crowned as the first runner up of the league. In the same season, Galang, together with Kim Fajardo and Cyd Demecillo were hailed as first runner up in the beach volleyball tournament. She made her comeback in UAAP Season 78 as she together with her teammates defeated the Ateneo Lady Eagles winning the UAAP Season 78 women's volleyball tournament championship. This was also her last playing year in the UAAP.

Galang began her professional career in the Philippine Super Liga, where she was selected as the first overall draft pick for the 2016 season for the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers.[8] She won the Second Best Outside Spiker individual award in the 2017 PSL All-Filipino Conference while playing with F2 Logistics.[9]

Personal life

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Galang has been in relationships with volleyball player Cindy Amutan.[10][11]

Clubs

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Awards

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Individuals

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Collegiate

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Clubs

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References

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  1. ^ "Ara Galang". Volleyverse – via volleyverse.com.
  2. ^ "Hope tossers keep Shakey's girls title | Sports, News, The Philippine Star". Philstar.com. March 22, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  3. ^ Canicosa, Immanuel (November 21, 2014). "UAAP SEASON 77 DLSU LADY SPIKERS PREVIEW: A LONG, ARDUOUS QUEST FOR REDEMPTION". Go Archers. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  4. ^ Palangchao, Harley (May 27, 2012). "De La Salle, NU are 2012 PVF inter–collegiate champions". Baguio Midland Courier. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  5. ^ "UAAP: DLSU Lady Spikers Abigail Marano and Ara Galang named co-MVPs". GMA News Online. March 6, 2013. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  6. ^ de Borja, Maria Teresa (May 24, 2014). "Lady Spikers fall to Philippine Air Force in PNG finals". The LaSallian. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  7. ^ Olivares, Rick (March 13, 2015). "Valdez to be feted 2nd UAAP MVP plum". Philstar. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  8. ^ Escarlote, Mark (May 27, 2016). "Galang picked top overall in 2016 PSL Rookie Draft". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  9. ^ Lozada, Bong (July 14, 2017). "Maizo-Pontillas 'pressured' after winning MVP plum". Inquirer. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  10. ^ "'Since My Day Zero' – Who is this girl with Ara Galang?". Fastbreak. October 9, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  11. ^ "Ang sweet ni Ara Galang". Pang-Masa. July 12, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2024.