Mhicaela "Bella" Belen is a Filipino volleyball player. She is currently playing as an outside hitter for Alas Pilipinas, a former NU Lady Bulldogs and is now a new recruit of the Capital1 Solar Spikers.

Education

Belen studied high school at Nazareth School until 2020, before moving up to the institution's affiliate college

National University A national university is mainly a university created or managed by a government, but which may also at the same time operate autonomously without direct control by the state. In the United States, the term "national university" connotes the highe ...

where she obtained a psychology degree in May 2025.

Career

High school

Belen entered the Nazareth School,the high school department of the

(NU), in 2014. However it was only in

UAAP Season 78 UAAP Season 78 was the 2015–2016 athletic year of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). It opened on September 5, 2015, almost two months after the usual July opening of the league during previous seasons, due to the shi ...

when she would play for the NU Lady Bullpups. The team won the girls title on that season, the second consecutive title. In Season 80 in 2017, Belen earned her first MVP award. Nazareth's title streak ended in a Season 81 when they lost to

De La Salle Santiago Zobel School The De La Salle Santiago Zobel School, also referred to by its acronym DLSZ or De La Salle Zobel ( Filipino: Paaralang De La Salle Santiago Zobel), is a private Catholic basic education institution for boys and girls run by the Philippine Di ...

. In Season 82, they reclaimed the title with an undefeated 12–0 record. Belen was named best outside hitter and was given her second MVP award.

College

Belen aspired to attend the

De La Salle University De La Salle University (), also referred to as DLSU, De La Salle or La Salle, is a private, Catholic coeducational research university run by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools with main campus in Taft Avenue, Malate, Man ...

(DLSU) and was in contact with the school's coach Ramil de Jesus. However, Belen decided to go with the

instead citing concerns of having to compete for playing time with other DLSU players. In 2022, Belen joined the NU Lady Bulldogs. The Bulldogs in Belen's inaugural year won the title in the

UAAP Season 84 UAAP Season 84 was the 2021–22 athletic year of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). The Season 84 theme was "Fully Alive, Champions for Life" and the season's host was the De La Salle University. With the limitati ...

after 65 years of title drought with a perfect 16-0 season sweep. She was also conferred the Best Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards becoming the first woman in the history of the UAAP women's volleyball to receive both awards in the same season. In addition, she made a record as she scored eight service aces, the most services aces in a match in the

UAAP The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), established in 1938, is an athletic association of eight Metro Manila universities in the Philippines. The eight-member schools are Adamson University (AdU), Ateneo de Manila Univer ...

women's division, against UP to tie Dzi Gervacio's eight in Ateneo's win coincidentally also against UP in UAAP Season 75 volleyball tournaments in 2013. Belen and her teammates tried to defend their championship title, but ended with a runner-up finish in the

UAAP Season 85 UAAP Season 85 was the 2022–23 athletic year of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Season 85 theme is "Rise as One", and the season host was the Adamson University. With just seven events in UAAP Season 84, Seaso ...

, where they lost to the De La Salle Lady Spikers in the finals. In 2024, Belen led her team to reclaim the title in the

UAAP Season 86 UAAP Season 86 was the 2023–24 season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). The season host is the University of the East (UE) under the theme "Fueling the Future". The opening ceremonies was held on September 30, 20 ...

after they swept the UST Golden Tigresses in a Finals Series. She also reclaimed the Most Valuable Player and 1st Best Outside Hitter awards in the same season, making her a two-time UAAP MVP. In 2025, Belen became the team captain for the NU Lady Bulldogs. The Bulldogs won their second consecutive title, defeating the DLSU Lady Spikers in the finals series of

UAAP Season 87 UAAP Season 87 was the 2024–25 season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). It will be hosted by the University of the Philippines Diliman (UP) under the theme "Stronger, Better, Together". The opening ceremony was he ...

. She also became a three-time UAAP MVP. Only Monica Aleta and

Alyssa Valdez Alyssa Caymo Valdez (; born June 29, 1993) is a Filipino volleyball player who currently plays for the Creamline Cool Smashers. She was a member of the collegiate varsity women's volleyball team of Ateneo de Manila University in both indoor ...

are the other women's volleyball players to be given the same recognition thrice.

Club

While still a high schooler, Belen played for the

BaliPure Purest Water Defenders The BaliPure Purest Water Defenders were a professional volleyball club sponsored by Balibago Waterworks System, Inc. playing in the Premier Volleyball League (formerly, Shakey's V-League). The team debuted in the league's 13th Season Open Confe ...

at the 2018 Reinforced Conference of the

Premier Volleyball League The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) is the top-level professional women's volleyball league in the Philippines organized by the Sports Vision Management Group, Inc. The PVL was established in 2004 as the inter-collegiate Shakey's V-League (SV ...

along with Alyssa Solomon. In 2021, Belen played for the Philippines national team which competed under the club name "

Rebisco The Rebisco Group of Companies, doing business as Rebisco (an acronym of its legal name, the Republic Biscuit Corporation) and also known as the Rebisco Group, is a Philippine privately held multinational snack food company headquartered in Or ...

" in the

Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship The AVC Women's Champions League, previously the AVC Cup Women's Club Tournament (between 1999 and 2002) and Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship (between 2004–2024), is an annual continental club volleyball competition organized by the ...

. The team finished last place. Belen later returned to the PVL in 2025, now as a fully functioning professional league in the Philippines, where she got drafted to the Capital1 Solar Spikers as the No.1 overall PVL Draft Pick.

National team

Belen has been part of the Philippines national team which played at the

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

and 2024 SEA Women's V.League She also played at the

2025 AVC Women's Volleyball Nations Cup The 2025 AVC Women's Volleyball Nations Cup was the first of the newly rebranded AVC Women's Volleyball Nations Cup, and sixth overall edition of the formerly known AVC Women's Challenge Cup, an annual international volleyball tournament organize ...

Personal life

Belen also has a younger sister named Ghenievib, who is a current member of NSNU Bullpups. Her sister plays libero just like she did.

Clubs

(2018) * Rebisco Philippines (2021) * Capital1 Solar Spikers (2025–present)

Awards

Individual

High School

Collegiate

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Belen, Bella Living people Filipino women's volleyball players 21st-century Filipino sportswomen University Athletic Association of the Philippines volleyball players Outside hitters National University (Philippines) alumni