UNIVERSITY of the Philippines’ women’s volleyball program is set to add Visayan firepower in its ongoing rebuild under new program director and champion coach Oliver Almadro.
Joining the Fighting Maroons are Bacolod Tay Tung High School's Jothea Ramos and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu's Joanneesse Perez — both of whom carry championship pedigree in the regional and national ranks.
READ: Goldwin Monteverde signs fresh five-year deal as UP Maroons head coach
"The UP volleyball program and the UP community are really happy for the commitment of these two high school standouts. Aside from their talents, they will bring their aggressiveness and leadership to our UP WVT," said Almadro.
At 5-foot-9, the 17-year-old Bacolodnon opposite spiker stood tall as the 2023 Palarong Pambansa girls' volleyball MVP for Western Visayas.
Perez, meanwhile, is a decorated 5-foot-8 middle blocker who copped the 2022 Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) juniors' title for the Magis Eagles before a runner-up finish the year after.
Through UP Office of Athletics and Sports Development director Bo Perasol and Frank Lao's Strong Group, the UP volleyball program's newest backers, the Visayan pair found their way home to Diliman ahead of the squad's bid to end its seven-year Final Four drought in the UAAP Season 86 women's volleyball tournament.
"Itong mga ganitong recruits natin for our volleyball teams, we're hoping they're just the first of many. We have full faith in Coach O [Almadro] na gaganda ang performance natin because of how he'll oversee the development of all our veterans and rookies," Perasol said.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
