PH women’s basketball, men’s volleyball standouts feted


Awardees for the 2024 Collegiate Press Corps awards night on Monday. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — History was made as standouts in the women’s basketball and men’s volleyball were recognized for the first time in the 2024 Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night on Monday at the Discovery Suites Manila in Pasig.

Kent Pastrana of the University of Santo Tomas was hailed as the inaugural Collegiate Women’s Basketball Player of the Year to headline a total of 23 awardees alongside Collegiate Men’s Basketball Player of the Year Kevin Quiambao of La Salle.

Pastrana steered the Growling Tigresses to their first title in 17 years, toppling the mighty dynasty of seven-peat champion National U with a thrilling three-game series win to win the UAAP Season 86 finals.

READ: Standout coaches to be feted by Collegiate Press Corps

She was also named the UAAP Player of the Year for team events in the league’s closing ceremony last year before a fitting follow-up recognition from the CPC in the momentous ceremony.

Pastrana also led the breakthrough Women’s Mythical Five with her teammate and UAAP Finals MVP Tantoy Ferrer, FEU’s Josee Kaputu, UP’s Favour Onoh, and Kacey dela Rosa of Ateneo while Quiambao, who lifted La Salle to the UAAP Season 86 title to snap a seven-year drought, bannered the staple Men’s Mythical Five with Rookie-MVP Clint Escamis of Mapua, UP’s Malick Diouf, Lyceum’s Enoch Valdez and Jacob Cortez of San Beda.

“It’s our honor to be given this kind of opportunity in women’s basketball. Thank you for this award at sa walang pag-suporta sa amin,” said Pastrana.

For the first time also, achievers in the men’s volleyball were feted with well-deserved honors led by UAAP Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year Owa Retamar of NU and NCAA Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year Louie Ramirez of Perpetual.

READ: Kevin Quiambao, Kent Pastrana banner collegiate Mythical Teams

Retamar pocketed the UAAP Season 86 Finals MVP and Best Setter while Ramirez captured the NCAA Season 99 MVP plum anew as the both the Bulldogs and the Altas won four straight titles.

“I’m really happy that I was chosen for this men’s volleyball award. I’m glad for men’s volleyball, which is slowly gaining recognition, of course with the help of the media. They’re the ones who helped expand this. I hope this continues for all the youth watching us. I hope we can inspire them,” said Retamar.

NU Bulldogs' star Owa Retamar.

NU Bulldogs’ star Owa Retamar. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

But the night didn’t only belong to the players as mentors from women’s basketball and volleyball also marked history and grand celebration.

Haydee Ong of UST copped the UAAP Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year with Dante Alinsunurin of NU and Sammy Acaylar of Perpetual winning the UAAP Men’s Volleyball and NCAA Men’s Volleyball Coaches of the Year awards, respectively.

NU’s Norman Miguel and Jerry Yee of three-peat champion College of St. Benilde’s were named the UAAP Women’s Volleyball and NCAA Women’s Volleyball Coaches of the Year, respectively.

“It’s the first time in history that you’ve given accolades and inclusivity for women’s basketball. Maraming Salamat po. This award will not be possible without the help of the whole community and ecosystem of UST,” said Ong.

Also in the spotlight of the event were the winners of the staple awards in men’s basketball and women’s volleyball

For the second time, MVP Bella Belen of NU took home the UAAP Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year while Cloanne Mondonedo of CSB, the first setter MVP in NCAA history, won the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year.



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La Salle champion mentor Topex Robinson was named the UAAP Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year while Yuri Escueta, who engineered San Beda’s NCAA title run, was hailed as the NCAA Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year.

Standout coaches to be feted by Collegiate Press Corps


UST Growling Tigresses coach Haydee Ong. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — The Collegiate Press Corps (CPC) will honor seven of the best coaches, led by mentors in volleyball and women’s basketball for the first time when it stages its annual Awards Night at Discovery Suites Manila on Monday

The CPC added five more recipients for the prestigious Coach of the Year Awards following the UAAP Season 86 and NCAA Season 99 to join the group’s list of staple recognitions headlined by mentors from men’s basketball.

Haydee Ong of the University of Santo Tomas will be hailed as the UAAP Women’s Basketball COTY after steering the Growling Tigresses to their first UAAP title in 16 years, ending the seven-peat reign of no less than the National University Lady Bulldogs.

READ: How Haydee Ong transformed UST Tigresses into becoming NU’s downfall

The CPC will also honor the stellar rise of volleyball coaches in both collegiate leagues for the first time in the grand ceremony.

Over at the UAAP, NU’s coach Dante Alinsunurin will be named the Men’s Volleyball COTY for winning a dynastic four-peat with the Bulldogs following a sweep of the UST Golden Spikers in the finals.

Norman Miguel, for his part, will take home the UAAP Women’s Volleyball COTY plum for bringing the Lady Bulldogs back to the promised land after missing out on the championship last year at the hands of La Salle. Miguel pushed NU back to the crown in dominant fashion, sweeping the Golden Tigresses in the process.

The NCAA had no shortage of coaching greatness as well with Sammy Acaylar of Perpetual Help winning the NCAA Men’s Volleyball COTY. Acaylar showed his mettle in the coaching post after pushing the Altas to 11-0 sweep all the way to the NCAA Season 99 crown for their fourth straight title.

Jerry Yee, on the other hand, will be the NCAA Women’s Volleyball COTY for authoring the College of St. Benilde’s three-peat, highlighted by 40-and-counting wins in a row.

In the traditional side of the awards, Topex Robinson will be feted with the UAAP Men’s Basketball COTY after steering La Salle to the Season 86 title at the expense of the University of the Philippines to snap a seven-year drought.

Yuri Escueta, meanwhile, will be the NCAA Men’s Basketball COTY after guiding San Beda to the Season 99 chip against all odds. Escueta and the Red Lions made the unthinkable by winning the whole tourney despite being the underdogs as the third seed, especially against Mapua in the finale.



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