THE coaching carousel at National University continues to spin.
For the third straight year, the Lady Bulldogs will head into a new campaign under a different head coach after bringing back Norman Miguel for UAAP Season 89.
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But beyond extending NU's string of coaching changes, the move revives a familiar blueprint.
The last time the Lady Bulldogs surrendered the UAAP crown to La Salle in Season 85, they turned to Miguel to steady the ship. A year later, he delivered, guiding NU back to the top with the Season 86 title.
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Three years later, the circumstances look strikingly similar.
After another finals defeat at the hands of the Lady Spikers in Season 88, NU has once again handed the reins to Miguel, hoping the same formula produces the same result.
Whether history repeats itself, however, remains to be seen.
Miguel replaces Regine Diego, whose lone season as head coach ended with a runner-up finish. Diego, however, will remain with the team as one of Miguel's assistant coaches along with Alvin Dumalaog and Juvie Mangaring.
Three-for-three
The latest move also means NU will have a third different head coach in three seasons.
Sherwin Meneses led the Lady Bulldogs to the Season 87 championship before shifting his focus full-time to the professional ranks. Diego took over in Season 88, only to see NU's title defense end at the hands of La Salle.
Now, the Lady Bulldogs are betting once more on the coach who previously helped them bounce back from the exact same heartbreak.
Miguel returns to a program he knows well, one that still boasts one of the UAAP's deepest rosters featuring the likes of reigning top rookie Sam Cantada and Alas Pilipinas quartet Vange Alinsug, Arah Panique, Shaira Jardio and Celine Marsh.
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