Ara Galang

{{short description|Filipino volleyball player}} {{Philippine name|Salas|Galang}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox volleyball player | image = 2025_PVL_IC_CherryTiggo_VictonaraGalang_2.jpg | imagesize = 170px | caption = Galang in 2025 | nickname = Ara, Vic | name = Ara Galang | fullname = Victonara Salas Galang | nationality = Filipino | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|1|4|mf=y}} | hometown = Angeles City, Philippines | height = {{height|cm=172}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://volleyverse.com/player/27645/ara-galang/|title=Ara Galang|publisher=Volleyverse|via=volleyverse.com}}</ref> | weight = 53 kg | spike = 282 cm | block = 270 cm | position = Outside/Open Hitter Opposite Hitter | college = De La Salle University | currentclub = | currentnumber = | years1 = 2016–2023 | team1 = F2 Logistics Cargo Movers | years2 = 2024–2025 | team2 = Chery Tiggo Crossovers | years3 = 2026–present | team3 = Farm Fresh Foxies }}

'''Victonara''' "'''Ara'''" '''Salas Galang''' (born January 4, 1995) is a Filipina professional volleyball player for the Farm Fresh Foxies of the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).

In college, Galang played for the De La Salle University Lady Spikers of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. She won Rookie of the Year in Season 74 (2012) and won MVP in Season 75 (2013).

After her collegiate career, Galang joined the F2 Logistics Cargo Movers of the Philippine Super Liga and later the Premier Volleyball League, winning four titles out of nine medal finishes, and also winning MVP in the 2018 Invitational Cup. In 2023, after F2 Logistics disbanded, she moved to the Chery Tiggo Crossovers where she would play until its disbandment in 2025.

==Career== {{Update section|reason=Missing information from 2018 onward|date=January 2026}} 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.<ref name="philstar1">{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.philstar.com/sports/668218/hope-tossers-keep-shakeys-girls-title |title=Hope tossers keep Shakey's girls title | Sports, News, The Philippine Star |website=Philstar.com |date=2011-03-22 |accessdate=2016-03-29}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://goarchers.com/13418/uaap-season-77-dlsu-lady-spikers-preview-a-long-arduous-quest-for-redemption/|title=UAAP SEASON 77 DLSU LADY SPIKERS PREVIEW: A LONG, ARDUOUS QUEST FOR REDEMPTION|last=Canicosa|first=Immanuel|publisher=Go Archers|date=21 November 2014|accessdate=3 October 2016}}</ref> For the 2012 PVF Intercollegiate Volleyball Championship, she was awarded Best Attacker.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baguiomidlandcourier.com.ph/sports.asp?mode=archives/2012/may/5-27-2012/sports4.txt|title=De La Salle, NU are 2012 PVF inter–collegiate champions|last=Palangchao |first=Harley|publisher=Baguio Midland Courier|date=27 May 2012|accessdate=3 October 2016}}</ref>

The following season, Galang was awarded Most Valuable Player, shared with Aby Maraño winning her third consecutive championship in the UAAP Season 75 tournament.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/photo/33640/uaap-dlsu-lady-spikers-abigail-marano-and-ara-galang-named-co-mvps |title=UAAP: DLSU Lady Spikers Abigail Marano and Ara Galang named co-MVPs|publisher=GMA News Online |date=6 March 2013 |accessdate=29 March 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thelasallian.com/2014/05/24/lady-spikers-fall-to-philippine-air-force-in-png-finals/|title=Lady Spikers fall to Philippine Air Force in PNG finals|last=de Borja|first=Maria Teresa|publisher=The LaSallian|date=24 May 2014|accessdate=3 October 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.philstar.com/sports/2015/03/13/1433181/valdez-be-feted-2nd-uaap-mvp-plum|title=Valdez to be feted 2nd UAAP MVP plum|last=Olivares|first=Rick|publisher=Philstar|date=13 March 2015|accessdate=3 October 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.abs-cbn.com/volleyball/news/2016/05/27/galang-picked-top-overall-2016-psl-rookie-draft-11742|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006000055/http://sports.abs-cbn.com/volleyball/news/2016/05/27/galang-picked-top-overall-2016-psl-rookie-draft-11742|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 6, 2016|title=Galang picked top overall in 2016 PSL Rookie Draft|last=Escarlote|first=Mark|publisher=ABS-CBN News|date=27 May 2016|accessdate=3 October 2016}}</ref> She won the Second Best Outside Spiker individual award in the 2017 Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino Conference while playing with F2 Logistics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sports.inquirer.net/256297/maizo-pontillas-pressured-winning-mvp-plum|title=Maizo-Pontillas 'pressured' after winning MVP plum|last=Lozada|first=Bong|publisher=Inquirer|date=14 July 2017|accessdate=16 March 2018}}</ref>

==Personal life== Galang has been in relationships with volleyball player Cindy Amutan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fastbreak.com.ph/since-my-day-zero-who-is-this-girl-with-ara-galang/spike-attack/ |title=‘Since My Day Zero’ – Who is this girl with Ara Galang? |publisher=Fastbreak |date=9 October 2019 |accessdate=9 October 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.philstar.com/pang-masa/pm-sports/2020/07/12/2027340/ang-sweet-ni-ara-galang |title=Ang sweet ni Ara Galang |publisher=Pang-Masa |date=12 July 2020 |accessdate=9 October 2024 }}</ref>

==Awards==

===Individuals=== * 2011 Palarong Pambansa "Best server" * 2011 Shakey's Girls Volleyball League "Best attacker" * 2012 PVF Intercollegiate Volleyball Championship "Best attacker" * 2014 Unigames "Most Valuable Player" * 2014 POC-PSC Philippine National Games Women's Volleyball "Best attacker" * UAAP Season 74 "Rookie of the Year" * UAAP Season 74 "Best server" * UAAP Season 75 "Most valuable player" * 2016 PSL All-Filipino "1st Best Outside Spiker" * 2017 PSL All-Filipino "2nd Best Outside Spiker" * 2018 PSL Invitational “Most Valuable Player” * 2019 PSL Grand Prix "1st Best Outside Spiker (local)" * 2025 PVL Invitational Conference Best Opposite Spiker

===Collegiate=== * 2012 PVF Intercollegiate Volleyball Championship - Image:Med 1.png Champions, with DLSU Lady Spikers * 2014 POC-PSC Philippine National Games Women's Volleyball - Image:Med 2.png Silver medal, with DLSU Lady Spikers * UAAP Season 74 volleyball tournaments - Image:Med 1.png Champions, with DLSU Lady Spikers * UAAP Season 75 volleyball tournaments - Image:Med 1.png Champions, with DLSU Lady Spikers * UAAP Season 76 volleyball tournaments - Image:Med 2.png Silver medal, with DLSU Lady Spikers * UAAP Season 77 volleyball tournaments - Image:Med 2.png Silver medal, with DLSU Lady Spikers * UAAP Season 78 volleyball tournaments - Image:Med 1.png Champions, with DLSU Lady Spikers

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Farm Fresh Foxies current roster}} {{PSL Most Valuable Player Award}} {{UAAP Volleyball Season's Most Valuable Player Award}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Galang, Ara}} Category:1995 births Category:Living people Category:University Athletic Association of the Philippines volleyball players Category:Sportspeople from Angeles City Category:De La Salle University alumni Category:Philippines women's international volleyball players Category:Filipino women's volleyball players Category:Volleyball players from Pampanga Category:Outside hitters Category:21st-century Filipino sportswomen Category:Filipino LGBTQ sportspeople Category:LGBTQ volleyball players Category:Chery Tiggo Crossovers players Category:F2 Logistics Cargo Movers players