ADMU Lady Blue Spikers

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Ateneo Lady Eagles
Short name ADMU Lady Eagles
Nickname Lady Eagles
Chairman Von Carlo Dingle
Manager Anthony "Tony Boy" Liao
Ramona Jessica Bagatsing
Captain Julia Melissa Morado
League University Athletic Association of the Philippines
Shakey's V-League
Uniforms
Home
Away
ADMU Lady Blue Spikers
Medal record
Women's Volleyball
University Athletic Association of the Philippines
Silver medal – second place UAAP Season 78 ADMU
Gold medal – first place UAAP Season 77 ADMU
Gold medal – first place UAAP Season 76 ADMU
Silver medal – second place UAAP Season 75 ADMU
Silver medal – second place UAAP Season 74 ADMU
Bronze medal – third place UAAP Season 72 ADMU
National Collegiate Athletic Association
Gold medal – first place NCAA 1976-1977 ADMU
Shakey's V-League
Silver medal – second place SVL Season 12 Collegiate Conf. ADMU
Silver medal – second place SVL Season 10 1st Conference ADMU
Gold medal – first place SVL Season 9 1st Conference ADMU
Gold medal – first place SVL Season 8 1st Conference ADMU
Bronze medal – third place SVL Season 8 2nd Conference ADMU
Bronze medal – third place SVL Season 7 1st Conference ADMU
Silver medal – second place SVL Season 5 1st Conference ADMU
Bronze medal – third place SVL Season 4 2nd Conference ADMU
International
Bronze medal – third place 2014 ASEAN University Games Philippines
Gold medal – first place Expat Volleyball Championship Exhibition Game ADMU

The Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers is the collegiate women's varsity volleyball team of the Ateneo de Manila University. The team plays in the women’s volleyball division of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the premiere amateur collegiate sports league in the Philippines. They are currently considered one of the top volleyball teams in the division.

History

The Ateneo de Manila University Lady Blue Spikers is a collegiate women's varsity volleyball team in the Philippines that was formed in 1975. They first played competitive volleyball when they joined the NCAA (Philippines) in season 51 (1975–76). The following year, season 52 (1976–77), the Lady Blue Spikers won their first and only NCAA women's volleyball championship. The Lady Blue Spikers were not able to repeat as champions in the NCAA because Ateneo de Manila transfer to another sports league. In 1978, Ateneo transferred to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). However, the title drought continued in the UAAP for another 37 years. The team's first title in the UAAP came in season 76 (2013–14). They won the UAAP title again the following year, season 77 (2014–15).

Volleyball Championships
Lady Blue Spikers
NCAA (1)
  • Season 52 (1976–77)
UAAP (2) Season 76 (2013–14) [1]
Season 77 (2014–15) [2]

In the UAAP, Ateneo has won two championships since transferring from the NCAA in 1978. These titles were won by the Lady Blue Spikers in Season 76 (2013–14) and Season 77 (2014–15), finally ending a title drought of more than 30 years in UAAP volleyball. Prior to their championships, the Lady Blue Spikers had six Final Four appearances (Season 70, 72, 73, 74, 75 and 76), with a second seed and twice-to-beat advantage in season 74 and 75. In season 72 (2009), all three Ateneo varsity volleyball teams were in the Final 4. Season 77 (2014) marked the growing success of the Ateneo volleyball program. The men's, women's and boys' volleyball teams all made it to the Finals.

The Lady Blue Spikers ended a 36-year title drought in the UAAP when they won their first ever title in UAAP season 76 [3] (2013–14). This title was a result of the changes to the volleyball program implemented in the mid 2000s. Sherwin Malonzo was appointed head of this new program. In season 71 (2008–09), Roger Gorayeb, a multi-titled coach, was hired as head coach of the Lady Spikers. UAAP season 71 also marked the time that Ateneo started to recruit high school players. Five blue-chip high school players (Fille Cainglet, Jem Ferrer, Dzi Gervacio, Gretchen Ho and A Nacachi) were recruited and these players were later dubbed the Fabulous Five by the Ateneo community and fans. Another group, consisting of three high school players, were recruited the following year, 2009. One of these players was Aerieal Patnongon, who stands at 6' 0". In 2010 Ateneo recruited prized- high school volleyball player Alyssa Valdez, as well as 4 other high school players.[4] Valdez was a national youth volleyball team standout, dubbed the "Phenom" by the sports press,[5] and a two-time (back-to-back) MVP in UAAP high school volleyball. She would later break the UAAP women's volleyball record for most points scored in a game in her second year in the league. On January 20, 2013, she scored 35 points (31 spikes, 3 blocks and 1 service ace) in the second round elimination game against Adamson. Prior to her performance, the record had been 33 points, set by an Adamson player in February 14, 2009. Ateneo continued to recruit players in season 74 (2011–12). Mary Mae Tajima was recruited from Ateneo de Davao. Standing at 6' 1", she is the women's volleyball team's tallest player ever.

Ateneo has recruited groups of five players several times in their recent history. The 2008 batch is referred to as the Fabulous Five or Fab 5 by the Ateneo community and fans. The 2010 and 2013 batches were all members of the Ateneo team that made history by winning Ateneo's first volleyball championship in the UAAP women's volleyball senior division.

They won in Shakey's V-League, a summer tournament which the Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers uses as a preparation for the UAAP tournament,back in 2011. In the championship game, Rookie Alyssa Valdez was seen as having delivered a key performance for Ateneo. Her coach for this tournament, Charo Soriano, a former star Lady Blue Spikers herself, had this to say about the prized recruit: "She really pulled it through for us".[6]

In UAAP season 74 (2011–12), the Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers ended the elimination round with 11 wins in 14 games, their best elimination round record in 33 seasons in the UAAP. For the first time ever, they were seeded second in the Final 4 with a twice-to-beat advantage. The Lady Blue Spikers did not find it necessary to use this advantage as they beat their opponent, UST, in Game 1 of their Final 4 series. With this win, they advanced for the first time to the Finals and had the defending champion De La Salle as their opponent. La Salle swept the elimination round and thus had a thrice-to-beat advantage in the Finals. The Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers have not won over La Salle in the last four years. This losing streak was broken by the Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers when they won Game 1 of the Finals. This was La Salle's first and only loss of the season. This win put the Finals series on equal terms. Unfortunately, the Ateneo Lady Spikers lost the next two games and their chance for their first UAAP championship. Aside from the first-time achievements mentioned above, there were several more. For the first time, the Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers beat Adamson and UST twice in a season, had 13 wins in a season, won a game in the Final 4 round and had a rookie (Alyssa Valdez) who scored 30 points in one game.

The Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers were able to successfully defend their Shakey's V-League Season 8 1st Conference title. They were undefeated in the preliminary, quarters, and semi-final rounds of the tournament. The Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers defeated the UST Golden Tigresses in their Best-of-Three series in the Finals which made them a back-to-back champion team. Alyssa Valdez, who scored 31 points (22 Attacks 8 Service Aces 1 Block) in Game 2 of the Finals was named the MVP. She scored a total of 73 points in the Finals series (59 Attacks 11 Service Aces 3 Blocks). The Lady Blue Spikers garnered their second championship of the year 2012 when they won the 2012 Tuguegarao City Open Invitational held on June 24–30, 2012. They did not lose a single set on their way to claiming the championship and the Php500,000.00 top prize.

Head Coach Roger Gorayeb changed his recruitment strategy for Season 75 (2012–13) and he recruited only high school players who are college-play ready. Still, the Lady Spikers fell short. They made it to the Finals for the second consecutive year. However, it was a replay of Season 74 as the Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers again faced and were defeated by the De La Salle Lady Spikers in the Finals.

In their first tournament in 2013, the Shakey's V-League 10th Season 1st Conference, they failed to defend their crown as back-to-back champions when they lost to NU in the Finals. Shortly after the end of the tournament, Roger Gorayeb, Ateneo's head coach of the women's volleyball team since 2008 stepped down in July 2013. In an effort to sustain the gains made by the Lady Blue Spikers under the watch of Gorayeb, Ateneo hired Anusorn "Tai" Bundit as the women's volleyball team trainer in September 2013. Bundit is the coach of the national women's juniors volleyball team of Thailand, a volleyball powerhouse in Asia. Tai Bundit's status was later changed to head coach. The Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers also went to Thailand during their school year 2013-14 semestral break for a more intensive training.

On March 15, 2014, the Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers won their first championship in the UAAP. For the third consecutive season, their opponent in the Finals was the De La Salle Lady Spikers. This time they beat La Salle. The Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers, a third-seeded team, completed one of the greatest upsets in league history in beating La Salle which swept all of their fourteen elimination round matches. They ended La Salle's three-year reign as champions and also snapped La Salle's 30-game winning streak since UAAP Season 75 when it beat the latter in the Finals Game 1 of Season 76. They will go down in UAAP history as the first women's volleyball team to have overcome a thrice-to-beat disadvantage in the Finals, a feat achieved by only one other team in the UAAP in another sporting event (when UP swept DLSU in UAAP Season 76 Women's Table Tennis Finals in 3 games). They were the first ever non-top seed varsity team in the UAAP to win the championship through the league's postseason stepladder format. The road to the championship was full of obstacles. They had to win 5 do-or-die matches in the process - starting with 3 in the step-ladder Semifinals (first against fourth-seeded Adamson University Lady Falcons, and then against second-seeded National University Lady Bulldogs which had a twice-to-beat advantage) and 2 in the Finals against defending champion La Salle Lady Spikers. Team captain Alyssa Valdez was the Season and Finals Most Valuable Player, and also became the first ever UAAP athlete to win 4 awards in one season (which included Best Scorer and Best Server awards).

In December 2014, the collegiate women's varsity volleyball team of the Ateneo de Manila University, the Lady Blue Spikers represented the Philippines in the 17th ASEAN University Games in Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia. This is the first time that the Philippines was represented in the women's volleyball tournament of the ASEAN University Games. The Lady Blue Spikers won the bronze medal. This is the first medal finish in international women's volleyball competition for the Philippines since winning bronze in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

In UAAP Season 77 (2014–15) the Lady Blue Spikers achieved a first when they swept the elimination round of Season 77, 14-0. This sweep means that the Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers did not allow the La Salle Lady Spikers to win a single game against them in the elimination rounds, a first for the Lady Blue Spikers since UAAP Season 71. This sweep also earned the Lady Blue Spikers an automatic slot to the Finals for the first time with a thrice-to-beat advantage. They also swept their post season games to become the first team in 11 seasons to complete an unbeaten campaign. Season 77 signalled the beginning of the success of the Ateneo volleyball program. All three varsity volleyball teams (men's, women's and juniors) of Ateneo in the UAAP were in the Finals. The women's volleyball team also won its second championship in Season 77 when they swept second-seeded De La Salle University in 2 straight matches (6 straight sets). The sweep achieved a 16-0 season record (elimination rounds to championship round), a first for any UAAP women varsity team in the Final Four era. Ateneo's recruitment program which is a key component of the volleyball program has been successful in recruiting highly prized players. Alyssa Valdez of the Lady Blue Spikers, who was products of this robust recruitment program, were back-to-back (Season 76 and 77) UAAP MVPs, while Rongomaipapa Amy Ahomiro of the Lady Blue Spikers was named Season 77 UAAP Finals MVPs.[7] But, in UAAP Season 78 they became the League's Runner-Up they have lost to their arch rivals DLSU. In the Awarding Ceremony Alyssa Valdez claims her 3rd straight MVP Award, 4th straight Best Scorer award and 3rd straight Best Server award. The Lady Eagles will try to reclaim their title on UAAP Season 79 many players will make a comeback like spikers Michelle Morente, Ana Gopico, Jirah Llaneta and Kat Tolentino as well.

Roster

The Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers Volleyball Team

  • Captain sports.svg - team captain

The Lady Blue Spikers Recruits Class of 2016
The Rookies

No. Name Position Height Weight High School
Jules Samonte Middle Hitter 5' 9" 125 lbs. De La Salle Zobel
Bettina Abella 5' 9" 125 lbs. Brent International School
Maxine Rianna T. Yee Outside Hitter 5' 5" 115 lbs. St. Pedro Poveda College
Cacee Gequillana Middle Blocker 5' 10" 115 lbs. De La Salle Zobel
Dani Ravena Setter/Libero 5' 5" 115 lbs. Miriam College
Eunice Tiongson Outside Hitter 5' 6" 115 lbs. Miriam College
Bela Peralta Libero 5' 6" 115 lbs. De La Salle Zobel


Notable players

  • Maria Regina Gavino, AB '93
    - Member, 1989-92 Ateneo Lady Eagles
    - Member, RP national volleyball team.
  • Kay de Guzman, BS 2001
    - Team Captain, UAAP Season 63 Ateneo Lady Eagles
  • Karla Bello, AB 2007
    - Shakey's V-League Season 4 1st Conference Best Server
  • Maria Rosario "Charo" Soriano, AB 2007
    - Team Captain, UAAP Season 70 Ateneo Lady Eagles
    - Head Coach, Shakey's V-League Season 8 <2011> 1st Conference Ateneo Lady Eagles
    - UAAP Season 66 Rookie of the Year
    - UAAP Season 69 Third Best Scorer
    - UAAP Season 70 Best Scorer
    - UAAP Season 70 Best Receiver
    - 2006 Home and Away Invitational League (HAIL) Best Server
    - Shakey's V-League Season 4 2nd Conference Most Energetic Player
    - Shakey's V-League Season 5 1st Conference Best Blocker
    - Shakey's V-League Season 5 1st Conference Most Improved Player
    - Shakey's V-League SEA Club Invitational Guest Player
  • Patricia Lyn "Patti" Taganas, AB 2007
    - UAAP Season 69 Best Digger.
  • Stephanie "Gab" Gabriel, BS 2009
    - 2006 Home and Away Invitational League (HAIL) Rookie of the Year
    - 2006 Home and Away Invitational League (HAIL) Best Digger
    - Shakey's V-League Season 6 2nd Conference Best Digger
  • Bea Charmaine Pascual, AB 2011
    - Team Captain, UAAP Season 71 Ateneo Lady Eagles
    - UAAP Season 69 Best Blocker
  • Ma. Carmina Denise "Kara" Acevedo, BS 2012
    - Team Captain, UAAP Season 72 Ateneo Lady Eagles
    - UAAP Season 70 Rookie of the Year
  • Jamenea "Jem" Ferrer, AB 2013
    - Team Captain, UAAP Season 73 Ateneo Lady Eagles
    - UAAP Season 74 Runner-Up
    - UAAP Season 75 Runner-Up
    - UAAP Season 72 Best Setter
    - UAAP Season 73 Best Setter
    - UAAP Season 75 Best Setter
    - Shakey's Girls V-League Season 7 Most Valuable Player
    - Shakey's Girls V-League Season 7 Best Setter
    - Shakey's V-League Season 8 1st Conference Finals MVP
    - Shakey's V-League Season 8 Open Conference Best Setter
    - Shakey's V-League Season 8 SEA Club Invitational Best Setter
    - Shakey's V-League Season 9 1st Conference Best Setter
  • Fille Saint Merced N. Cainglet, BS 2012
    - Team Captain, UAAP Season 74 Ateneo Lady Eagles
    - UAAP Season 74 Runner-Up
    - UAAP Season 75 Runner-Up
    - Shakey's V-League Season 8 1st Conference Most Improved Player
    - 2006 WNCAA Juniors' MVP
    - 2007 WNCAA Juniors' MVP
    - 2005 Milo Best 17-Under Women's Volleyball League MVP
    - 2006 Milo Best 17-Under Women's Volleyball League MVP
    - 2007 Milo Best 17-Under Women's Volleyball League MVP
  • Angeline Marie "Dzi" Gervacio, AB 2013
    - Team Captain, UAAP Season 75 Ateneo Lady Eagles
    - UAAP Season 74 Runner-Up
    - UAAP Season 75 Runner-Up
    - 2006 WNCAA Juniors' Best Attacker
    - 2007 WNCAA Juniors' Best Attacker
  • Dennise Michelle "Denden" Lazaro, BS 2015
    - Libero, RP Youth 16-Under Girl's national volleyball team to the 7th (2008) Asian Youth Girls 16-Under Volleyball Championships - Member, 2015 RP national volleyball team to the 28th (2015) Southeast Asian Games Volleyball tournament in Kallang, Singapore. - Member, 2009 Palarong Pambansa NCR Girls Secondary Division volleyball team
    - UAAP Season 74 Runner-Up
    - UAAP Season 75 Runner-Up
    - UAAP Season 76 Champion
    - UAAP Season 77 Champion
    - UAAP Season 76 Best Digger
    - UAAP Season 76 Best Receiver
    - UAAP Season 77 Best Receiver
    - Shakey's Girls V-League Season 6 Best Receiver
    - Shakey's V-League Season 8 1st Conference Best Receiver
    - Shakey's V-League Season 9 1st Conference Best Receiver
    - Shakey's V-League Season 8 Open Conference Best Digger
    - Shakey's V-League Season 8 SEA Club Invitational Best Digger
  • Alyssa "Aly" Valdez, AB 2015
    - Dubbed the "Phenom" of volleyball by the sports press, news media and volleyball fans.
    - Team captain, 2013-2016 Ateneo Lady Blue Spikers team;
    - Team captain, RP Youth 16-Under Girls' national volleyball team to the 7th (2008) Asian Youth 16-Under Girls' Volleyball Championships in Pasig City, Philippines.
    - Member, 2013 RP national volleyball team to the 2014 FIVB Women's World Championship Qualification Zonal Round in Quantri, Vietnam - 3rd place.
    - Team captain, 2015 RP national volleyball team to the 1st (2015) Asian Women's U23 Volleyball Championship in PhilSports Arena, Pasig City, Philippines - 7th place.
    - Member, 2015 RP national volleyball team to the 28th (2015) Southeast Asian Games Volleyball tournament in Kallang, Singapore.
    - Named Ms. Volleyball of the Philippines of 2013 and 2014 by the Philippine Sportswriters Association.
    - Record holder of most points scored in one conference in Shakey's V-League.
    - Record holder of most points scored in a game in UAAP Women's Volleyball.
    - Record holder of most number of awards in one season in UAAP Women's Volleyball.
    - UAAP Season 71 (2008) and Season 72 (2009) Juniors MVP.
    - 5th (2008) Shakey's Girls' Volleyball League MVP.
    - 7th (2010) Shakey's Girls' Volleyball League Best Attacker.
    - 2008-09 UAAP Juniors Division Athlete of the Year.
    - UAAP Season 76 (2013–14) and Season 77 (2014-15) MVP.[9]
    - UAAP Season 76 (2013–14) and Season 77 (2014-15) Best Server.
    - UAAP Season 75 (2012–13), Season 76 (2013–14) and Season 77 (2014-1) Best Scorer.
    - UAAP Season 76 (2013–14) Finals MVP.
    - Shakey's V-League Season 9 (2012) 1st Conference Finals MVP.
    - Shakey's V-League Season 10 (2013) 1st Conference Best Server.
    - Shakey's V-League Season 11 (2014) Open Conference Best Scorer.
    - Shakey’s V-League Season 12 (2015) Open Conference MVP & First Best Outside Spiker.
    - Shakey’s V-League Season 12 (2015) Collegiate Conference MVP & First Best Outside Spiker. UAAP Season 78 MVP, Best Server, Best Server and Fudgee O-Bar sa Galing Player of the Season
  • Rongomaipapa Amy "Kiwi" Ahomiro, AB 2015
    - UAAP Season 77 (2014-2015) Finals MVP.
  • Margarita Anna Marie "Marge" Tejada, BS Candidate 2016
    - 2009 WNCAA Juniors Division Best Receiver
    - 2011 WNCAA Juniors Division MVP
    - Season 13 (2011–12) NCAA South Best Receiver
    - Team captain, 2012 Palarong Pambansa NCR Girls' Secondary Division volleyball team
    - 2012 Palarong Pambansa Girls' Volleyball Secondary Division Best Server
    - Member, RP Youth national volleyball team to the 4th (2012) ASEAN Schools Games in Surabaya, Indonesia.
  • Julia Melissa "Jia" Morado, AB Candidate 2017
    - Member, RP Youth National Volleyball Team to the 4th (2012) ASEAN Schools Games Surabaya, Indonesia – 4th place
    - Member, 2015 RP national volleyball team to the 1st (2015) Asian Women's U23 Volleyball Championships in PhilSports Arena, Pasig City, Philippines.
    - Member, 2015 RP national volleyball team to the 28th (2015) Southeast Asian Games Volleyball tournament in Kallang, Singapore.
    - UAAP Season 77 (2014-2015) Best Setter
    - 2011 NCR Volleyball Meet Best Setter
    - 2012 BEST Center Women’s Volleyball League Best Setter
    - 2012 and 2013 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball League (NCR) Best Setter
    - 2012 NCR Palarong Panrehiyon MVP & Best Setter
    - 2012 Palarong Pambansa Best Setter
  • Maria Gizelle Jessica "Gi" Tan, AB Psychology 2016
    - Shakey’s V-League Season 12 (2015) Collegiate Conference Best Setter.
    - 2011 Season 8 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball League (SGVL) Tournament of Champions Best Setter [10]
  • Isabel Beatriz "Bea" Paras De Leon, AB Management Economics 2017
    - Shakey’s V-League Season 12 (2015) Collegiate Conference 2nd Best Middle Blocker.
  • The Lady Eagles received the Smart Strong Team of the Season in UAAP Season 78

See also

References

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