Jhoana Maraguinot

By Cedric B. Teng Ampo

JHOANA MARAGUINOT’S rise to being part of the Lady Eagles’ first six this season is a culmination of a long journey that started when she was in Grade 6.

Her career did not go off smoothly because her mother, former national team and Adamson Lady Falcons outside hitter Lovel Agno, had second thoughts on allowing her to join the volleyball varsity of De La Salle Lipa. Agno felt that her daughter would have a difficult time adjusting to the life of a student-athlete. Being the daughter of a great player also meant that Maraguinot had to live up to the great name. But she shares in a mix of English and Filipino that the expectations from her mother didn’t scare her, rather, it pushed her even more: “That’s where my motivation started; to play better and push myself to my limits.” She adds that it was her chance to make her parents proud of her.

Things then started to click for the outside hitter during her second year in high school, as she broke through to the first six of her varsity team. Her career flourished as she ended up an inch short of the Most Valuable Player award in her senior year. Nevertheless, she won the Best Attacker award and was accepted to the Ateneo, which she says was more important for her.

Her first two years in the Ateneo saw the outside hitter fighting for a position in the roster, which she finally got in her junior year. Her versatility on the court garnered Coach Anusorn “Tai” Bundit’s trust for a first six starting berth.

Jamie Lavitoria

By Cedric B. Teng Ampo

JAMIE ISABELLE Lavitoria’s volleyball career started with a bribe: A piece of candy, to be exact. This was how her best friend at Marin Catholic High School in San Francisco, California persuaded the girly seventh grader to join the school’s volleyball varsity team.

Lavitoria did not look back. The former ballerina turned out to excel as a setter prior to her days in the Ateneo. Lavitoria performed against the best in high school, as she was selected as a member of the first team for the Marin County Athletic League. She also led her squad to a championship in the North Coast Section League.

The interdisciplinary major then went to the Dominican University of California, a division two school, where she played for one year. But it was an offer from the Ateneo to be a part of a rebuilding team that brought Lavitoria to play for the Blue and White. She expressed that since coming to the Philippines, the country’s culture has grown on her, preferring it over than the American lifestyle.

She arrived for the Lady Eagles last year and witnessed the “heartstrong” phenomena from the bench. She was sidelined due to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines’ residency rules. This season, with Lavitoria cleared to play, the five-foot-eight setter is ready to contribute as soon as Coach Anusorn “Tai” Bundit calls her number.

Maddie Madayag

By Jamie S. Katigbak

WITH THE country’s spotlight directed on the Ateneo Lady Eagles, all eyes will be on the team as they defend their crown in Season 77. Aiding the veterans in their quest to retain the gold is a select group of rookies comprised of youthful talents from different high schools within and outside Metro Manila. One of these new faces is Madeleine “Maddie” Madayag.

A terrific find from the Southern reaches of the Philippines, Madayag began playing competitive volleyball in her junior year at Davao Christian High School. The freshman’s six-foot tall frame provides an additional defensive and offensive boost for any volleyball squad. Her skill on the court attracted the attention of three universities that invited her to study and play for them. It was after some deliberation about her athletic and academic future that she finally decided to call Katipunan her home court and become a Lady Eagle—there’s been no looking back since.

Although she understands that her minutes may be limited, the open spiker remains ready for the fierce competition this season in her rookie campaign. She expects that the Lady Eagles will have their hands full, with heated matchups against their rival Archers. Madayag anticipates that the other universities will present a formidable challenge as she quips, “We intend to continue to play happy and ‘heartstrong’ and win one set, one game at a time.”

Therese Gaston

By Jamie S. Katigbak

PLAYING IN the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) in your first year of college is one thing, but doing so on national television alongside names like Alyssa Valdez is a completely different story. It is a challenge that rookies like Therese Gaston will have to overcome as Season 77 progresses.

A graduate of the University of Santo Tomas High School, Gaston has been sending spikes and making blocks for quite some time now. With six years spent on the court and four years of experience as a Tiger Cub in the Juniors division of the UAAP, she is certainly no stranger to the competitive nature of Philippine volleyball. She has handled the pressure that the tournament exerts on its participants, having won a UAAP championship in her junior year of high school.

With the Lady Eagles’ tremendous display of heart last year inciting a volleyball craze, the game’s intensity is at an all-time high. The spotlights burn brighter than ever and will cast an intimidating glow on the defending champions. Nevertheless, Gaston hopes that another show of “heartstrong” could help the Lady Eagles go for back to back. “I expect that we [will be] able to defend the title this year, we’ve worked so hard for this,” quips the rookie as she’s ready to go all out for the Blue and White.

Bea de Leon

By Faith R. Decangchon

ENTERING A completely new playing field is tough; exceeding the expectations of many is tougher. Management economics freshman Bea de Leon, however, made both challenges look easy in her impressive debut in Season 77. As one of the most sought out high school recruits, it came as no surprise that the six-foot-one-inch Poveda standout was immediately fielded in as the Lady Eagles’ regular middle blocker. Coach Anusorn “Tai” Bundit trusted de Leon with the frontline offense and defense, and the rookie did not disappoint. Her outpour of attacks and defensive blocks contributed much to the Lady Eagles’ success early in the season, as she garnered an average of 7.75 points in her offensive end while keeping a steady two points off blocks per game. This is the reason why de Leon has become one of the team’s go-to players for crucial markers despite her status as a rookie. Her authority and aggressiveness inside the court, coupled with her energy in making points, provide key advantages to the Lady Eagles. Her all-around presence inside the court is crucial for this season’s championship chase. De Leon has much more to prove, but if she consistently delivers the same effort and displays the same kind of resiliency, she will be a contender to watch out for.