2024 was an Olympics year, and it proved to be a remarkable one for UST sports. The University even turned this year’s Paskuhan into an Olympics-themed celebration — a perfect tribute to a year packed with wins, close calls, and all the lessons in between.
Join us as we look back at The Varsitarian’s top sports stories of 2024.
Poyos sets UAAP rookie scoring record
UST’s Angeline Poyos becomes the highest-scoring rookie in UAAP history with 268 points in her first 12 games in Season 86, surpassing the 267-point record of former Blue Eagle Faith Nisperos.
Golden Tigresses dethrone DLSU for 1st finals berth in 5 years
The UST Golden Tigresses dispose of the DLSU Lady Spikers in five sets, 25-20,16-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-7, to secure the first finals spot of Season 86 at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 5.
The UST-DLSU rivalry experienced a déjà vu moment, as exactly five years ago, the Tigresses clinched their last finals berth by defeating the Lady Spikers in five sets.
Downer ending for UST’s fairytale run as Lady Bulldogs win championship
The UST Golden Tigresses’ underdog story concludes with a silver medal after falling to the NU Lady Bulldogs in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball finals, 23-25, 25-23, 25-27, 16-25 at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 15.
Golden Spikers bag silver anew as Bulldogs complete 4-peat
The UST Golden Spikers settle for silver for the second straight season as the NU Bulldogs win their fourth consecutive championship with a four-set victory in Game 2, 25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 25-15, at the Mall of Asia Arena on May 15.
UST bags UAAP general titles anew
UST retains its general championships after the conclusion of the seniors and juniors divisions of UAAP Season 86.
Heartbreak in Paris as Obiena falls short of medal, ends up 4th
Thomasian pole vaulter EJ Obiena bids adieu to his hopes of winning an Olympic medal in Paris, finishing fourth in the men’s pole vault finals at the 2024 Olympics held at Stade de France on Aug. 6 (Manila time).
‘He couldn’t vault nor run’: Spine injury derailed Obiena’s Paris 2024 prep, says manager
Thomasian pole vaulter EJ Obiena faced a challenging lead-up to his 2024 Paris Olympics campaign due to a spine injury, which ultimately saw him finish heartbreakingly in fourth place, his manager says.
UST finishes in podium of inaugural UAAP esports tourney
The University becomes the lone school to finish on the podium in all three events of the inaugural UAAP esports tournament: Valorant, NBA 2K, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
UAAP tightens transfer rules in bid to quell student poaching
The UAAP announces new rules for collegiate athletes transferring between its member teams starting, in an attempt to strike a “balance” between the interests of the league, the schools, and their players.
EJ Obiena returns to UST, visits ‘V’
Thomasian pole vault star EJ Obiena returns to his roots in UST, visiting the campus for the first time since 2022 and accommodating an exclusive interview with The Varsitarian.
Despite success, Obiena still wants UST diploma
Crossing the Arch of the Centuries as a graduate, not just a guest, remains a genuine goal for two-time Olympian EJ Obiena.
Golden Booters defeat UP for 1st time in 8 years
Star goalkeeper Miguel Abada puts on a defensive masterclass as the UST Golden Booters overcome the UP Fighting Maroons for the first time in eight years, 1-0, on Sept. 1.
The victory marks the Golden Booters’ first against UP since March 10, 2016, or during Season 78. The last time the two squads clashed was in the UAAP Season 86 semifinals, where UST bowed out to UP, 8-7, after a penalty kick shootout.
UST’s Haydee Ong named inaugural commissioner of Women’s MPBL
UST Growling Tigresses head coach Haydee Ong is appointed the inaugural commissioner of the newly formed Women’s Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (WMPBL).
The league is the fledgling female counterpart of the MPBL, a men’s professional basketball league founded by boxer-turned-politician Manny Pacquiao in 2017.
UST SHS student ends PH’s 28-year gold drought in World Taekwondo Junior Championships
UST Lady Jin Tachiana Mangin makes history by ending the Philippines’s 28-year gold drought in the World Taekwondo Junior Championships, winning in the 2024 edition held in Chuncheon, South Korea on Oct. 4.
Tigers end 5-year Final Four drought, clinch No. 3 seed after drubbing Adamson
The UST Growling Tigers secure their first Final Four appearance since Season 82 in 2019 by dismantling the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 75-49, on Nov. 16, at the FilOil EcoOil Center.
UST Male Woodpushers capture historic four-peat in UAAP chess
The UST Male Woodpushers make history as they become only the third team in UAAP history to win four consecutive men’s chess championships.
Obiena inaugurates pole vault facility in Laoag, unveils plans for 2 more
Two-time Olympic pole vaulter EJ Obiena inaugurates his first pole vault facility at the Marcos Stadium on Nov. 22, marking the launch of the first of three planned projects aimed at cultivating the sport nationwide.
Tiger Sands cruise to 6th straight UAAP men’s beach volley crown
The UST Tiger Sands wrap up their flawless Season 87 run by capturing their sixth straight UAAP men’s beach volleyball title, warding off the NU Bulldogs, 21-13, 21-15, in the finals at the SM Sands by the Bay on Nov. 26.
NU ends UST’s six-year reign in women’s beach volley
The UST Tiger Sands’ six-year reign in UAAP women’s beach volleyball comes to an end after succumbing to the NU Lady Bulldogs, 21-16, 19-21, 15-11, in the Season 87 finals at the SM Sands by the Bay on Nov. 26.
This marks the first time the Tiger Sands failed to capture the title in the women’s division since Season 78 in 2015.
UST Paddlers deliver historic 52-0 sweep in Season 87 table tennis
The UST Paddlers, with a flawless 52-0 win-loss record across the seniors and juniors divisions in Season 87, prove that they aren’t just good — they are historically good.
Junior Tigersharks further HS swimming dynasty with 9th golden double
The UST Junior Male and Junior Female Tigersharks rule UAAP waters once more as they notch their fourth straight golden double in the Season 87 juniors’ swimming tournament at the New Clark City Stadium in Tarlac on Nov. 20.
UST Tiger Tracksters snap 8-year podium drought; Female Tracksters settle for silver
THE UST Tiger Tracksters break into the UAAP podium for the first time in eight years, securing a bronze finish in the Season 87 athletics tournament at the New Clark City Stadium in Tarlac on Nov. 21.
UST completes Final Four trifecta in UAAP basketball as Tiger Cubs advance
The UST Tiger Cubs — like their college counterparts — secure a spot in the Final Four after thwarting the De La Salle-Zobel Junior Archers, 72-50, in the UAAP Season 87 junior high school basketball tournament at the FilOIl EcoOil Centre in San Juan, on Nov. 24.
Growling Tigers strike bronze in return to Final Four
The UST Growling Tigers cap off their UAAP Season 87 campaign with bronze after yielding to the UP Fighting Maroons, 78-69, in their Final Four clash at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Nov. 30.
NU dethrones Growling Tigresses
The UST Growling Tigresses’ reign as champions ends.
The Growling Tigresses couldn’t hold onto their crown as the NU Lady Bulldogs take back the title with a 78-73 victory in the winner-take-all Game 3 of the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Dec. 15.
Salinggawi logs lowest ranking in UAAP cheerdance since 2013
Following back-to-back bronze-medal seasons, the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe drop to fifth place in the UAAP Season 87 cheerdance competition at the Mall of Asia Arena on Dec. 1, with its “Batang 90s” routine marking its lowest-ranking performance since 2013.
Junior Golden Spikers dethrone NUNS to snap 7-year title drought
THE UST Junior Golden Spikers bring home their first UAAP title in seven years after defeating the defending champions, the NUNS Bullpups, 25-17, 25-22, 25-20, in Game 2 of the Season 87 boys’ volleyball finals at the Quadricentennial Pavilion on Dec. 7.
Tounkara: No truth to report about UST departure, rift with management
UST foreign student-athlete Mo Tounkara denies a report claiming he is leaving the Growling Tigers due to alleged financial disputes, dismissing the rumors as “false allegations.”
UST ahead in Season 87 general championship race after 1st sem
After the first semester, UST holds the top spot in the UAAP Season 87 general championship standings for both the seniors and juniors divisions.
The school enjoys a comfortable 40-point lead over second-placed UP, which has accumulated 195 points with a 3-3-4 gold-silver-bronze haul. DLSU sits in third with 178 points, boasting a 1-4-7 medal tally.