Change has come to Katipunan neighbors University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University.
The two squads are coming into the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament with fresh new looks and mantras as they welcome a new dawn in their respective programs.
Leaving the Blue Eagles nest after more than a decade of service, multi-titled mentor Oliver Almadro crossed to the other side of the road with a mission to sow the seeds of a winning culture to the Fighting Maroons.
UP has been struggling to get its head out of the bottom half of the standings since a Final Four appearance in 2016. Last year, the Fighting Maroons only had a win under their belt under the first and only season of coach Shaq delos Santos.
“Well, as I’ve said, it’s a challenge because we all know in the past years, what the standings of both UP men’s and women’s teams. I’m tasked to start a new program,” Almadro, who was also tapped as head of the State University’s volleyball program, said.
The mentor who steered the Blue Eagles to their last women’s title in 2019 hopes to follow the same blueprint of his program that turned the Ateneo men’s squad into a three-peat champion during his stay as coach.
“I cannot say that I can change it right away in terms of skills, in terms of winning, but what I can assure everybody, the volleyball program as (Office of Athletics and Sports Development head) Coach Bo (Perasol) said, slowly but surely,” Almadro said.
“But again, if you want to change our story, we have to change our culture.”
The former national men’s team coach will bank on last year’s 2nd Best Middle Blocker Nina Ytang along with holdovers Jewel Encarnacion, Nica Celis and Aby Goc.
On the other side of Katipunan, Brazilian coach Sergio Veloso is picking up the pieces of Ateneo’s disastrous Season 85, finishing with a 4-10 win-loss record — the school’s worst since 2009.
With the departure of main scorers Faith Nisperos and Vanie Gandler along with solid middle blocker Joan Narit, Veloso is tempering expectations.
“Our first target, we need to play better or best, no matter if you win or not. Our mentality now in Ateneo is every match, you can win or the opponents win. But every time, you can learn,” he said.
“When you play good and you lose, it’s not that you played good, it’s just the opponent played better. That’s our philosophy, try to do your best every time,” Veloso added.
Returning AC Miner, Roma Mae Doromal, winger Lyann de Guzman and prized rookie setter Shaine Cortez will be the players to watch for the Blue Eagles.
“With Ateneo, we started preparing in July. We participated in a few pre-season tournaments and I can see how the Ateneo players improved,” Veloso, who is also the current men’s national team coach, said.
