The 81st season of the UAAP women's volleyball tournament kicks off on February 16. Defending champion De La Salle Lady Spikers will be gunning for their fourth straight title. But with the rest of the teams upgrading their weapons and gaining significant experience in the offseason, the race to the semifinals looks pretty much unpredictable at this point. Here's part 1 of our preview.
UE Lady Warriors
Season 80 record: 2-12 (8th place)
Key departures: Shaya Adorador
Key holdovers: Kath Arado, Me-Anne Mendrez, Judith Abil, Roselle Baliton
After being perennial cellar dwellers, the UE Lady Warriors are looking for a fresh start under the tutelage of rookie head coach Karl Dimaculangan.
The Lady Warriors experienced three winless seasons before amassing only a total of four wins in the last three years. This prompted the school to abruptly end Francis Vicente's over three-year stint as head coach and replace him with Rod Roque midway through Season 80.
With veteran spiker Shaya Adorador gone from the lineup, the task of leading UE falls on the hands of star libero Kath Arado and fellow seniors Judith Abil and Roselle Baliton. Me-Anne Mendrez, Seth Rodriguez, and Laizah Bendong are also expected to step up.
The Lady Warriors will bank on their preseason experiences, including a bronze medal finish in the inaugural Philippine Superliga (PSL) Collegiate Grand Slam, to turn their fortunes around and prove that they are ready to leave behind the losing mentality that has plagued the team for so long.
UST Golden Tigresses
Season 80 record: 4-10 (7th place)
Key departures: Shannen Palec, Tin Francisco (ACL injury)
Key holdovers: Sisi Rondina, Milena Alessandrini, Dimdim Pacres, Caitlyn Viray, Alina Bicar
Sisi Rondina's swan song and Eya Laure's collegiate debut make this season very exciting for the UST Golden Tigresses, especially coming off their worst finish in the Final Four era.
Rondina, Season 80's Best Scorer, almost single-handedly carried an injury-laden team on her shoulders last year. Unfortunately, UST struggled to keep in pace with the rest of the competitive field and fell all the way to seventh place.
Known to be a passionate fighter, Rondina will accept nothing less than a championship in her final year, but she needs the whole squad's help in trying to deliver the crown back to España.
Filipino-Italian Milena Alessandrini is raring to bounce back from a shoulder injury that caused her to miss several games last season, though this did not stop her from bagging the Rookie of the Year award. She can provide ample support to Rondina and other veterans like Dimdim Pacres, Caitlyn Viray, and Alina Bicar.
Laure, a high school standout who already showcased her skills in preseason tournaments, is also expected give the Golden Tigresses a huge boost.
UP Lady Maroons
Season 80 record: 6-8 (6th place)
Key holdovers: Tots Carlos, Isa Molde, Ayel Estrañero, Marian Buitre, Marist Layug
Expectations for the UP Lady Maroons have skyrocketed heading into Season 81 due to their incredibly productive and successful preseason.
The Lady Maroons put a stop to nearly four decades of volleyball title drought by reigning supreme in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) and following it up with another championship in the PSL.
The combined firepower of Tots Carlos and Isa Molde, who earned MVP honors in the PSL and PVL, respectively, will be instrumental for the Lady Maroons as they try to carry over the team's momentum to the UAAP.
The Lady Maroons had been on a roll towards the end of Season 80 but they failed to reach the Final Four because they peaked too late. Given their intact lineup that already had enough time to adjust to the system of second-year head coach Godfrey Okumu, the team looks to start and finish strong this time around.
Adamson Lady Falcons
Season 80 record: 6-8 (5th place)
Key departures: Jema Galanza, Mylene Paat, Fhen Emnas
Key holdovers: Eli Soyud, Joy Dacoron, Chiara Permentilla, Bernadette Flora
The Adamson Lady Falcons were heavy favorites last year because of their reloaded roster that looked really strong on paper.
Bannered by main gunners Jema Galanza and Mylene Paat and playmaker Fhen Emnas, they were in a good position to advance to the semifinals. Unfortunately, they crumbled down the stretch and lost their chance.
Clinching a Final Four berth would be a tall order this season without the trio of Galanza, Paat, and Emnas. But the team still has a bunch of reliable veterans to turn to, such as skipper Eli Soyud, Joy Dacoron, Bernadette Flora, and Chiara Permentilla.
Entering her third year at the helm, head coach Air Padda will have a mix of seasoned players and newcomers as they begin their rebuilding phase. Blue-chip recruits Trisha Genesis and Krich Macaslang will take the lead among the fresh faces who have the potential to steer Adamson to greater heights in the near future.