LAST SEASON, the Ateneo Women’s Basketball Team (AWBT) suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the semifinals for the second year in a row. Now, the Blue Eagles carry their bitter memories from the past into UAAP Season 87, resolved to transform these lessons into newfound conviction and ascend beyond familiar horizons. No longer under the radar, the LA Mumar-led battalion returns with its quintessential core—Team Captain Sandra Villacruz, Junize Calago, and reigning UAAP Most Valuable Player Kacey Dela Rosa. Joining them are Gilas Youth guard Kai Oani and Rish Olivenza, among other talented rookies, who are eager to imprint their individuality into the already star-studded lineup. With the Goliaths like the National University Bulldogs being more vulnerable than ever, the league’s balance of power has never been more unstable. As a new power vacuum emerges in UAAP Women’s Basketball, there’s no better time than now for the AWBT to grab their seat as a clear contender for the title.