ANDIE IGNACIO recently took home the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Women’s Fencing division; the first to take it for the Blue and the White since Lady Eagle Victoria Grace Garcia in 2007 when Ateneo took the championship.
During Ateneo’s women’s Épée team semifinals match against UST, Ignacio was greeted by MVP chants from the crowd, as she singlehandedly raised the team from a 28-33 score to a tie at 40-all. She pushed it to 41-40 giving the Eagles a chance in the finals. Though they eventually took home the silver for Épée team, Ignacio’s skill didn’t go unnoticed.
The supersenior is undoubtedly one of the veteran fencers of the team. With about 10 years of experience under her belt, she recalls how she fell in love with the sport when she was younger, and this kick-started her career in fencing. “It was fun you know, it was interesting because when you’re a kid and they give you a sword, you’re like ‘yes this is so cool!’ and I kind of just stick with it,” says Ignacio.
Growing into her role as a fencer was boosted by her inclusion into the Ateneo squad. Being one of the few fencers around in Assumption College San Lorenzo High School, Ignacio was offered a scholarship by the university giving her a reason to train and improve herself. “Me being a scholar meant that I had some sort of responsibility,” she affirmed. In her rookie year, Ignacio won the bronze for women’s foil, an event she would get a silver for the next year and a bronze for this season 79.
Her achievement of the MVP is a triumph for both the fencing program and the team. In Season 78, the Ateneo Men’s and Women’s Fencing teams finished their campaign without a medal to their name, which was a self-proclaimed disaster for the progam. “I was a senior and I didn’t get any medals and I think it was just a lot of things happening, so [Season 79] was really just me taking in all those past years and just realizing that I can do it, the team can do it, we all can do it,” explained Ignacio
This Season 79, the Ateneo Women’s Fencing Team successfully came out stronger by taking home first runner-up behind the UAAP dominating champions, University of the East (UE). The Blue and White came up with an impressive haul of one gold, two silvers and three bronze medals. Of these six medals, two are from Ignacio’s individual events in the Women’s Foil and Women’s Épée, and three are from her team events, where she competed in all three weapons— Foil, Épée and Sabre.
Being able to compete and place in her events secured her with he MVP award. Despite the overwhelming support from the crowd before the award was given to her, Ignacio was nonetheless surprised with the result. “I didn’t think I was going to win MVP, so I wanted them to stop!,” she modestly expressed. “Because my friend [former MVP Justine Tinio] from UE, she’s been MVP every year and she’s literally the best. I really thought she was going to get it, but it was touching; I was really touched that the team was happy about [me earning the award].”
Aside from her renewed focus in her UAAP training this season, her road to exhibiting her personal best performances and earning the eventual MVP award was fueled by the quote “don’t think about it” from the cult-favorite show, Rick and Morty. “That quote always stuck with me. Throughout the whole UAAP, I was just like ‘don’t think about it’ because I think that was the problem last year: I thought about it too much. So this year, I was just like okay, accept and just don’t think about it. I’ve been living vicariously,” elaborated Ignacio.
Having completed her BA History degree, Ignacio pursued a second major, BFA Art Management, and will be attending her 6th academic year. However, even if her UAAP eligibility has been used up, she believes that she will be leaving the team in good hands as they will continue to push on. “Everyone left this year’s UAAP with a medal and that really proved that kaya nila, so I’m fairly confident even if a lot of the team are leaving this year. If they were able to make it this far I’m sure they’ll be able to keep it up and do better,” says Ignacio.
Andie Ignacio’s Medal Tally
Women’s Foil Individual Event: BRONZE
Women’s Epee Individual Event: GOLD
Women’s Foil TEAM Event: BRONZE (with Patricia Pauli, K-An Untal, Gabby Jimenez)
Women’s Epee TEAM Event: SILVER (with Pat Sarmiento & Gabby Jimenez)
Women’s Sabre TEAM Event: BRONZE (Justine Joseph, Audrey Uyan, Sam Viliran)
Editor’s Note: Updates were made in the article regarding the full name of the UAAP Season 78 Fencing’s Most Valuable Player
