The UST men’s and women’s volleyball teams clinch a rare back-to-back championships in the UAAP season. (Photo by MANNY LLANES)

Whichever way you look at it, it is indeed the Year of the Tiger!

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) has recently swept the volleyball titles in the 72nd season of the UAAP – the Tigers with their third consecutive crown, and the Tigresses with their first women’s volleyball title since 2006.

“UST is a volleyball country. But after so many years, ngayon na lang ulit nag champion,” excitedly says men’s volleyball team coach Emil Lontoc, adding that they expected to win at the UAAP after winning against Thailand in a pre-competition game.

The men’s volleyball team is composed of Christian Arbasto, John Depante, Ray Karl Dimaculangan, Paul Jan Doloiras, Harby Ilano, Henry James Pecana, Jayson Ramos, Christopher Rejuso, Paul John Romero, Eugene Runas, Carl Ortega Julius Sioson, John Paul Torres and Kerr Sherwyn Ucang.

Women’s volleyball team coach Cesael delos Santos shares that same confidence. “I saw that the roster was really strong. Kung per player, angat kami compared to other teams. The women’s team is really unbeatable,” she says.

Coach Cesael admits that motivating her players to clinch the championship was one of the hardest things to do. “Each player has her own way of being motivated. But you have to know your players’ strengths and weaknesses before you can motivate them. You talk to them one by one. This is a team game and everyone has to be motivated. You have to build the team as one.”

The women’s volleyball team is composed of Valerie Amar, Maruja Banaticla, Judy Anne Caballejo, Katrina Carangan, Jessica Curato, Rhea Katrina Dimaculangan, Jeniffer Fortuno, Jane Gonzales, Sarah Aiza Maizo, Hannah Mance, Maika Ortiz, Michelle del Rosario, Denis Allona Santiago and Ma. Angeli Tabaquero.

FOUR-PEAT

Still savoring this year’s victory, the Tigers are now training their sights on a four-peat win next season, under the leadership of team captain Ray Karl Dimaculangan, who also won the Best Server award for the second straight year. This will be the team’s best contribution to the UST quadricentennial celebrations next year.

“We are happy to have defended the title against FEU. They were the three-peat champions before we won,” says Dimaculangan, an incoming 4th year Commerce student.

Being a student-athlete, Dimaculangan stresses the importance of time management. “Kapag aral, aral muna. Kapag training, training muna. Kapag may free time, magbasa-basa ka muna. Make your time useful. Sa team para kaming magkakapatid, kahit nagkakaasaran na kami at hirap na hirap na kami. Hindi namin nararamdaman ‘yung pagod at hirap kasi enjoy naman kami sa ginagawa namin.”

DREAM COME TRUE

Playing volleyball for UST is a dream come true for graduating Communication Arts student and the Tigresses’ team captain Ma. Angeli Tabaquero.

“I used to just watch on the sidelines. Now I am the one being watched and being asked for autographs!’’ Tabaquero enthuses.

What makes this particular victory special for Tabaquero is the fact that they got it on her last playing year.

As of now, the UST star player plans to take up a second course next year. “Gusto ko connected pa rin sa sports. I’m thinking of taking up Sports Science. Para ‘yung magiging trabaho ko in line with sports pa rin. I still want to play the sport. Once an athlete, always an athlete,” she proudly says.

And what will she miss the most playing for the team? “Mami-miss ko ‘yung galit ng coach, ‘Yung pagod sa training. Kapag hindi ako pagod parang kulang. And I will miss the crowd who supported us in every game. We really appreciate what they have done for us.’’

MORE POPULAR NOW

Coach Emil observes that volleyball has gained more following since the games started airing on TV.
“Volleyball now has higher standards, even beach volleyball, primarily because of the TV exposure,’’ he says.

With the popularity of the sport picking up, Coach Cesael hopes to see the day when volleyball becomes as popular as basketball in the country.

“If volleyball grows like basketball and there will be a professional commercial league, more players will definitely join,” she says.

‘WINNINGEST’ SCHOOL

For winning its 37th overall UAAP championship, UST is now the winningest varsity team in the league history.

Second place went to De La Salle University while host school Far Eastern University placed third.

The other universities are ranked as follows: Ateneo de Manila University, fourth; University of the Philippines, fifth; University of the East, sixth; Adamson University, seventh; and National University.

The Tigers have won the overall championships since the 1998-1999 season.

In the men’s division, the Tigers won the volleyball, beach volleyball, tennis, badminton, and taekwondo championships.

In the women’s division, the Tigresses were champions in volleyball and softball while snatching runner-up trophies in table tennis, tennis, track and field, taekwondo, and football.

In the high school race, the UST Tiger Cubs won their 12th overall title, and three-time boy’s swimming MVP Gian Berino was awarded the Junior’s Athlete of the Year.

Taekwondo jin Marlon Avenido was named MVP in Men’s Taekwondo and Athlete of the Year for his successful stints in international competitions. Marlon earned the silver medals in the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos last December and in the Asian Martial Arts games in Thailand last August. He was also part of the Philippine contingent that saw action in the World Taekwondo Championships in Denmark, the Southeast Asian Taekwondo Championship in Vietnam, and the KTA Open Taekwondo Championship in South Korea.