Photo by Mario T. Dagdag
Blue Babble Battalion
THE BLUE Babble Battalion took a fall last season, but they’re back better than ever. Fresh from winning second runner-up honors in their first FilOil Flying V Cheerleading Competition, the Sixth Man squad is set to rise from last year’s seventh place finish.
All roads lead to the UAAP Cheerdance Competition in September. A perfect routine would be ideal, but stepping up their game is their goal. Cheer Dancer Captain Bea Crisologo says, “Knowing that we’re capable of beating teams that have placed higher than us in the past few years will help us be more confident.”
While other teams offer scholarships to entice recruits, the team prides itself with homegrown talent. Lifter captain John Simbajon says, “The fact that we don’t have scholarships yet we choose to be in Babble says that we want this more.” Joining them this year are two rookies from the Team Pilipinas All-Girl Cheering Squad, Isa Varilla and Myca Maala.
The team will showcase more cheerleading and less dancing. “You’ll be surprised. We’re stepping out of our comfort zone this time,” says lifter co-captain Laurence Arceno about their theme for this year. – Isabelle G. Rodolfo
Photo by Joseph S. Angan
Badminton
SEPARATING THE contenders from the pretenders is often difficult early on, but it is clear which group the Shuttlers belong to after last year’s performance. The Shuttlers enter the season as heavy favorites after the men’s and women’s teams respectively finished first and second last year.
With the majority of last year’s core intact, the Blue Shuttlers are ready to stand guard against any team attempting to seize their throne. Moro Lorenzo Sportsman of The Year Toby Gadi, together with the Natividad brothers, Pawee and Justin, will lead the quest to repeat as champions.
Similarly, most of the key players of the Lady Shuttlers are returning this season. Lisa Encarnacion, along with sophomores Gelita Castilo and Dia Magno, will spearhead the mission of translating last year’s phenomenal turnaround into the ultimate prize this season.
The Shuttlers are hoping to produce another memorable campaign, and with both teams fine-tuning their games, they are poised to do exactly that. As Lady Shuttler Paula Filart said, “victory belongs to the most persevering.” – Roman C. Mirasol
Photo by Mario T. Dagdag
Basketball
AFTER FINISHING third in the FilOil-Flying V Preseason Hanes Cup, the Blue Eagles have yet to demonstrate their full potential.
Emman Monfort and Kirk Long, two of last year’s starters, have retired their jerseys. More than anything, their defense will be particularly missed. However, the trio of Kiefer Ravena, Nico Salva and the imposing Greg Slaughter remains the focal point of the Ateneo offense. Generating the biggest buzz is returning veteran Ryan Buenafe.
With Season 75 being the final year of Head Coach Norman Black and players Salva, Slaughter, Oping Sumalinog, Tonino Gonzaga and Justin Chua, the reigning four-peat champions will look to their “defense wins championships” philosophy once more as they seek to etch their names into history with a fifth straight title. No team has won such an accolade in the Final Four era of the UAAP.
Meanwhile, the Lady Eagles go into the season retaining their core, and are looking to improve from their fifth place finish last year with a Final Four berth. – Angelo F. Herbosa
Photo by Abram P. Barrameda
Beach Volleyball
THE ATENEO Beach Spikers seek to bounce back from falling short of grabbing the championship in the 74th UAAP Beach Volleyball tournament.
The Blue Beach Spikers may have finished last place in Season 74, but their new line-up shows much potential. Bannered by Ricci Gonzales, Jerick Lim and Season 74 Rookie of the Year Israel Marasigan, the men’s team aims to rise in the ranks.
The Lady Beach Spikers will carry the momentum they gained from winning the Shakey’s V-League last May where Alyssa Valdez was crowned Finals MVP. Despite having little experience in playing in beach terrain, Bea Tan, Valdez and reserve Fille Cainglet proved to the nation that they are a force to be reckoned with as they placed first runner up.
With an intact lineup, the experience they gained from last year’s heartbreaking three-game finals series against UST will be their source of motivation. “With six months of beach volleyball training [and] the exposure of other teams, things are looking good for [us] next season,” said Tan. – Chino C. Razon
Photo by Christella D. Soriano
Swimming
LAST YEAR’S third place finish may have been surprising, but this coming September, the Blue and Lady Tankers are once again ready to battle for the crown.
Team Captain Adel Barlisan shares, “We know we have a shot [at winning the championship].” Barlisan says that the team has been working hard.
Joining the tankers are top-caliber rookies Axel Ngui and Gio Palencia. Both competed internationally before diving into the collegiate swimming scene. Junior Islau Dapat shares, “We’re expecting a lot from them given that they are two of the best in the country.”
Meanwhile, it has been four years since the Lady Tankers’ last title. Last year, they emerged as the second placers, but they swept the individual awards. For three consecutive years, the Rookie of the Year title has been awarded to a Lady Tanker. This season, the community expects the same turnout as all eyes are on top recruit Kezia Sarmiento to continue Lady Tanker legacy.
“Training—we just keep training,” says veteran Regine Yu, who believes that the team is ready to face the giants this coming season. – Margarita A. Contreras
Photo from The GUIDON Photo Archives
Taekwondo
IT WAS a busy summer for the Blue and Lady Jins as they have been working hard for a stronger performance this UAAP Season 75.
The Jins nabbed podium finishes in the Carlos Palanca Jr. National Championship, the Philippine National Games, the New Face Competition and the Smart All-Women’s National Taekwondo Competition.
Key to this success is the new training program of the Jins, which emphasizes conditioning and strengthening. This molds the players to be more physically prepared for the technical aspect of the sport and less prone to injuries.
Former national team players Aaron Agojo and Jefferson Ong will bolster the Blue Jins’ lineup. Unfortunately, the Lady Jins lost their sole heavyweight, Patricia Arcega, but they have acquired promising rookies Pauline Alarilla and Frances Siapno to help fill in the holes.
With discarded sweat and fists of steel, there is no doubt that the Jins have a promising year ahead. They paved their first steps towards success; all that is left is the journey towards it. – Noelle F. Sanidad
Photo by Ean L. Dacay
Table Tennis
AFTER BIDDING adieu to a number of veterans and enduring a trying summer, the Blue and Lady Paddlers are ready to beat it out in the UAAP Table Tennis Tournament this September.
With junior Erwin Gavino as this year’s captain, the Blue Paddlers have a promising season ahead. Power player Karl Uy and veteran Mihali Crisostomo will banner the men’s team as they vie for a Final Four spot.
The Lady Paddlers, led by Captain Clarice Manual, seek to avenge a heartbreaking one-point deficit that denied them a final four spot. Prized rookie Jane Arleth Dela Cruz and veterans Nikki Dizon and Allysa Balanzat will aid the ladies’ campaign.
The Lady Paddlers won the Uni-Orient Cup last March and bagged bronze honors in the Philippine National Games in Dumaguete last May 25 to June 2.
Despite losing many of their veterans, Head Coach Floyd Lobaton shares that he is not worried. “We are always labeled as underdogs every year, but we always come out strong and come so close to making the top four.” – Mateo L. Escueta
Photo by Joseph S. Angan
Judo
TRAINING NEVER ended for the Ateneo Judokas. “The team is on schedule as far as training is concerned,” shares Head Coach Alexander Sulit. “Our main goal is to prepare for the UAAP.”
Over the summer, the team bagged medals in the International School Manila tournament, the Pan Asian Jiu-jitsu Championships, the Philippine National Games in Dumaguete, and the Hajime! Eagles’ Cup.
Another summer highlight is the arrival of new strength and conditioning coach Gio Baron from the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center. “Everyone is physically stronger and more conditioned,” says Sulit. Joining the Blue Judokas is Monch Santiago, the MVP and gold-medalist of the juniors’ UAAP championships.
Losing veterans is a prospect that the team has always prepared for. This year, the Judokas have the right people at the right weight divisions to give them a good chance at making a podium finish. With their strong program and a superb coaching staff, the Blue and Lady Jins are ready to surprise the competition this Season 75. – Mateo L. Escueta
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