A pair of amazing Rookie of the Year-Most Valuable Player winners and two wingers who led College of Saint Benilde to back-to-back perfect seasons will be feted in the Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night to be staged on Monday at The Hummingbird Rooftop Bar in Quezon City.
De La Salle University’s Angel Canino, Bella Belen of National University and Lady Blazers Mycah Go and Gayle Pascual are set to receive the Collegiate Volleyball Player of the Year awards presented by Philippine Sports Commission in the return of the annual recognition rites after a four-year pandemic hiatus.
Belen and Canino share the distinction of being the only two players in the history of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines to win the MVP honors on their maiden campaigns.
The Lady Bulldogs’ ace winger starred in the team’s perfect 16-0 campaign in Season 84 last year that ended a 65-year title drought.
Belen made history as the first-ever rookie-MVP in the UAAP as she showcased her all-around game in carrying NU into the throne in the league’s return after two years.
On the other hand, Go, the National Collegiate Athletic Association MVP last year, led the Lady Blazers to an undefeated season capped by a sweep of Arellano University in the Season 97 finals.
Their performance earned them the Press Corps’ nod for the 2022 honor.
Pascual and Canino, meanwhile, will be given the awards for the 2022-23 athletic year.
Pascual made sure that the Lady Blazers picked up from where they left off, as they completed yet another perfect campaign. She earned Best Opposite Spiker honors while providing crucial leadership for CSB, which played without Go in Season 98 due to a knee injury.
Canino, for her part, followed in Belen’s footsteps while spearheading La Salle’s return to the top. The highly-touted open spiker displayed nerves of steel in guiding the Lady Spikers to back-to-back five-set wins over Belen’s NU in the finals.
The four players join a packed list of awardees that also include Mythical Teams in basketball for the past three athletic years, the Coaches of the Year, and the Collegiate Basketball Player of the Year.
The Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night is presented by the San Miguel Corporation and the Philippine Sports Commission, with MNL Kingpin, Tinapayan Festival, and Jockey as minor sponsors. It is also supported by Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Appliances, and Handyman.
