THE stage is set as the Collegiate Press Corps (CPC) honors the brightest athletes and best coaches of the 2023-2024 athletic season in its Annual Awards Night presented by San Miguel Corporation on Monday at the Discovery Suites in Pasig.
This year’s awards night will recognize the stellar student-athletes of UAAP Season 86 and NCAA Season 99 with Collegiate Men’s Basketball Player of the Year Kevin Quiambao of La Salle headlining a total of 23 awardees.
Quiambao, the UAAP Season 86 MVP and Finals MVP, steered the Green Archers to the men’s basketball throne to snap a seven-year title drought following a thrilling three-game series win against the University of the Philippines.
Joining him is Kent Pastrana of University of Santo Tomas as the inaugural recipient of the Collegiate Women’s Basketball Player of the Year in the ceremony also backed by the Philippine Sports Commission.
Pastrana, who was also named the Athlete of the Year for team events by the UAAP in the Season 86 closing ceremony, played a vital role in the Growling Tigresses’ stunning upset of seven-peat champion National U to end Espana's 17-year wait to celebrate.
With Quiambao in the Men’s Mythical Five are NCAA rookie MVP Clint Escamis of Mapua, UP’s Malick Diouf, LPU's Enoch Valdez, and San Beda's Jacob Cortez.
For the first time, the CPC will also have a Women’s Mythical Five including Pastrana and teammate Finals MVP Tantoy Ferrer, FEU’s Josee Kaputu, UP’s Favour Onoh, and Ateneo's Kacey dela Rosa, who was the UAAP Season 86 MVP as well.
In just his first year at the helm, Topex Robinson was successful in calling the shots for La Salle en route to UAAP Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year honors, while San Beda mentor Yuri Escueta is his NCAA counterpart after the Red Lions’ Season 99 conquest.
Longtime UST coach Haydee Ong engineered the Growling Tigresses' toppling of the Lady Bulldogs dynasty, making her the first-ever UAAP Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year in the event also supported by Discovery Suites as official venue partner and Jockey as minor sponsor.
Belen at the forefront of volleyball's continued rise
Leading National U to its second women’s volleyball championship in three years, charismatic two-time MVP Belen earned her second straight UAAP Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year award, as graduating MVP setter Cloanne Mondonedo anchored Benilde in its third consecutive championship for the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year plum.
The CPC will also award the first-ever Men’s Volleyball Players of the Year to Bulldogs setter Owa Retamar from the UAAP and Perpetual spiker Louie Ramirez from the NCAA. Both led their squads to four-peat feats.
With the rising popularity of volleyball, the outstanding coaches of the sport will also be feted by the CPC for the first time with blue and gold mentors sweeping UAAP Volleyball Coaches of the Year citations in the returning Norman Miguel and the seasoned Dante Alinsunurin.
Also with the spotlight on them are Altas shot-caller Sammy Acaylar and Lady Blazers mentor Jerry Yee as NCAA Coaches of the Year, with both squads extending their respective dynasties.
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