HEAD COACH: Sergio Veloso
LAST SEASON: 5-9 (5th place)
HOLDOVERS: Lyann de Guzman (captain), AC Miner, Taks Fujimoto, JLo Delos Santos, Zel Tsunashima, Yvana Sulit, Sobe Buena, Mitzi Pacia, KC Cortez, Sarah Hugo
SUBTRACTIONS: Roma Mae Doromal, Anthea Selga, Liz Lomocso
ADDITIONS: Jihan Chuatico, Robielle Silla, Fiona Arroyo, Alex Montoro
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FOR the first time since 2007, Ateneo has gone back-to-back seasons without a Final Four appearance.
A much younger Blue Eagles side than in recent years had its fair share of struggles at staying on par with a resurgent UAAP field in the last two seasons.
Ateneo landed a distant fifth-place in Season 86 with a 5-9 record, roughly four games and 10 points behind eventual fourth seed Far Eastern University.
Nonetheless, it was a small yet significant step from their Season 85 campaign where the blue-and-white finished sixth at 4-10.
Two years into his tenure, Brazilian head coach Sergio Veloso’s mission at the helm is to put more (one big) fight onto his pool of youthful talent without having to think too much about how their Ateneo predecessors fared in recent years.
And with an intact core on hand, this might just be the year for the rebuilding Blue Eagles to finally spread their wings.
Their only major loss entering Season 87 - albeit a big one - is former libero-captain Roma Mae Doromal.
She has since followed the trail of her then-senior stars Faith Nisperos and Vanie Gandler in the PVL as the key defensive weapon of a young Capital1 side.
Bluer than blue
While she also had the chance to follow suit by the end of Season 86, senior spiker Lyann de Guzman opted to stay put in the Eagles’ nest for one last dance in Katipunan.
It won’t be just her who’ll be delivering the veteran smarts for Ateneo, as she’ll be at the core of a quintet of veterans alongside AC Miner, Taks Fujimoto, JLo Delos Santos, and Zel Tsunashima.
Over half a decade since it last had a taste of championship glory, Ateneo is out to prove that it hasn’t lost track of the dynastic team it once was.
For Katipunan’s young guns, giving one big fight to the tournament’s big dogs will be their foremost pursuit in a year when they hope to re-invigorate the school’s winning roots.
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