HEAD COACH: Sergio Veloso
LAST SEASON: 5-9 (7th)
LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: Season 84 (2021-22)
LAST CHAMPIONSHIP: Season 81 (2018-19)
CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3
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THAT long-lost luster of Ateneo women’s volleyball remains elusive.
The Blue Eagles slipped further in UAAP Season 87, settling for seventh place that tied their worst finish since Season 67.
That also extended their Final Four drought to three straight seasons, their longest in nearly 20 years.
It has become a problem without a clear remedy, whether short-term or structural.
Last season was supposed to offer hope, as now-breakout PVL rookies Lyann de Guzman and AC Miner poured everything they had into jumpstarting the blue-and-white revival before eventually leaving Katipunan.
On paper, they had the tools to succeed where earlier cornerstones like Faith Nisperos and Roma Doromal had narrowly fallen short.
Then disaster struck, repeatedly.
One big ‘bite’
The injury curse hit Ateneo hard and early.
Just two days before the opener, outside hitter Jlo delos Santos tore her left ACL in a tune-up match.
Opening day only made matters worse, as opposite hitter Zel Tsunashima suffered a fractured left tibia and fibula after an awkward landing in the deciding set of their five-set loss to Adamson.
Less than a month later, another critical piece went down, as outside hitter Sobe Buena tore both her ACL and MCL in her right knee during a four-set defeat to La Salle.
No team likes to lean on injuries as justification for disappointing results, but still, the writing was on the wall.
The Blue Eagles simply did not have the depth or the ready-made replacements to offset the loss of three primary attackers in one season.
In Veloso, Ateneo still trusts?
As a result, the entire campaign became a long exercise in what-ifs and missed opportunities.
Beyond injury woes, however, a more pressing question has surfaced among fans: is the current system working?
Skepticism around the Sergio Veloso era has steadily grown, as Final Four contention remains farfetched.
Discontent even reached the point where some supporters openly called for a drastic reset, drawing parallels to the Philippine National Volleyball Federation’s decision to part ways with Brazilian coach Jorge Souza de Brito after a podium miss in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.
Season 88 will mark Veloso’s third full campaign at the helm, barring any midseason changes.
For now, the Ateneo community is left with little choice but to extend its patience anew.
And with that patience comes the hope that a healthier roster, reinforced by fresh faces, can finally push the Blue Eagles back to relevance and over a Final Four hurdle that has loomed for far too long.
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Read up on what to expect from the other teams in UAAP Season 88 here:
UE UAAP 88 PREVIEW: Is there anything to look forward to for Lady Warriors?
UP UAAP 88 PREVIEW: 'CAL Girls' should be undeniable for Maroons to be in the fight
ADAMSON UAAP 88 PREVIEW: Lady Falcons trust process of building around Shaina
FEU UAAP 88 PREVIEW: Lady Tams got grand plans of going 30 for 30
UST UAAP 88 PREVIEW: Tigresses all-in in Shaq-ing the system
LA SALLE UAAP 88 PREVIEW: All set or not, here come Angel-Shev-Amie anew for Lady Spikers
NU UAAP 88 PREVIEW: Who said Lady Bulldogs golden age is over?
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