UNIVERSITY of the East clarified the series of events that led to the dismissal of interim head coach Allan Mendoza, his staff, and all but four of its 11 women’s volleyball team players.
READ: Mass exodus from UE WVT as coaches, all but four players let go
SPIN.ph sources bared that the only returning players are the team’s leading UAAP Season 87 scorers in Van Bangayan and Khy Cepada along with libero Angelica Reyes and outside hitter Bea Zamudio.
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Citing ‘inaccurate information’ online, the university gave a two-fold account on issues surrounding team sponsorship and the eventual roster shake-up that followed ‘in the interest of transparency and accountability.’
First of which is how the decision of Frank Lao's Strong Group Athletics (SGA) not to renew their sponsorship for Season 88 prompted necessary personnel adjustments.
“In response to this development, the Physical Education (PE) Department promptly took steps to secure new leadership for the team,” the statement wrote.
“New coaches were appointed and approved by the President as consulted from UE sports committee to guide and develop the program for the upcoming season.
“In deference to the new coaching staff—so they could implement their vision, training philosophy, and strategic plans—the department organized an open try-out to evaluate all potential players.”
The Recto-based educational institution is yet to name who its new coach and sponsor for its women's volleyball team are.
UE also explained that the Season 87 holdovers were oriented an hour before a season-end team tryout - which is held annually - to point out that none of them will be subjected to automatic retention or exclusion.
Together with new aspirants, the current core of Lady Warriors all had to go through the same ‘rigorous and merit-based selection process.’
“Each participant was evaluated solely on their skills, potential, and compatibility with the system being implemented by the coaching staff and or new coaching staff,” the university said.
“As a result of this rigorous and merit-based selection process, several former players were not retained for Season 88. While this may be disappointing for those affected, it is a natural outcome of a competitive and transparent selection process under new leadership.”
UE also maintained that its athlete service grant is given to student-athletes not on the basis of ‘tenure of past participation,’ but rather to ‘active involvement and contribution to the University’s academic and athletic community.’
As a result, “[t]he outcome of the try-out to those affected who lost their spot and lost their privileges will be granted to those who qualified because of limited athletic service grant slots specific for each team/event.”
SPIN.ph has reached out to now-former Lady Warriors head coach Allan Mendoza for comment, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.
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