Former Philippine women’s volleyball team captain Aby Maraño has officially called time on her 22-year playing career, ending her professional stint with the Nxled Chameleons in the Premier Volleyball League.

The 33-year-old middle blocker said her retirement was a decision she had been preparing for, particularly after her contract with Nxled ended.

Maraño shared that instead of looking for another team, she became more interested in exploring life beyond professional volleyball.

She emphasized that she was still physically capable of competing and was not forced into retirement by a major injury.

Maraño said she simply reached a point where she felt at peace with stepping away from the sport after giving everything to her career.

Her decorated career began at De La Salle University, where she helped the Lady Spikers win three straight UAAP championships and earned back-to-back MVP honors in 2012 and 2013.

She later became a mainstay of the Philippine national team from 2015 to 2023.

In the professional ranks, Maraño played for several clubs, including F2 Logistics, Chery Tiggo and Nxled.

During her stint in the Philippine Superliga, she collected six club championships and eight Best Middle Blocker awards.

Despite ending her playing career, Maraño said she does not intend to completely distance herself from volleyball, expressing her desire to continue supporting the sport and contributing to its growth beyond the court.

(Photo Courtesy: Aby Maraño)