CAPPING off another sterling run en route to its 29th UAAP General Championship, the University recognized the heroes behind the glory through the Athletic Commencement and Awards Day at the UST Gym Annex last March 16.
Key championships
Like last year’s title conquest, UST’s “girl power” asserted its dominance anew, accounting for six of the nine championships reaped by the University. However, it was the double victory of the Lawn Tennis that brought the big difference in the over-all standings. The double victory clinched the over-all title for the España-based Growling Tigers.
The inclusion of the Women’s Tennis in the UAAP this season served UST’s ends. The Lady Tennisters made mincemeat of the other teams in the tournament with an unblemished 6-0 slate to snare the crown, carving another milestone in the record books.
Meanwhile, the Tiger Tennisters held their ground and slew their long-time nemesis Ateneo de Manila University to end a long title-drought.
With UST’s ace tennister Karl Santamaria out due to disqualification, veteran Gabrielle Remigio and rookie sensation Pius Ocampo stepped out and led the Tennisters to its first championship since the 1996-1997 season.
With his fiery performance sans Santamaria’s, Remigio, who also won a bronze medal in the 11th ASEAN University Games (AUG) held in Manila last Jan. 19 to 24, grabbed the Most Valuable Player Award, a worthy note to end his collegiate career.
Athletes of the year
Leading this year’s best athletes is Lady Tennister Ma. Edna Charise Godoy.
A petite rookie and National Team mainstay, Godoy is simply a cut above the rest. In the finals match against the UP Lady Maroons, she delivered the first blow with a smashing 6-0 shutout in the first singles match, putting UST in the threshold of the monumental title. The pivotal rout together with her bronze medal from the AUG propelled her to a UAAP-MVP plum, besting her fellow UST and RP teammate Julie Ann Cadiente.
Another worthy candidate with a UAAP-MVP Award tucked in her belt is veteran Lady Jin Kalindi Tamayo. A silver medallist in the two recent editions of the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG), Tamayo powered the Lady Jins to their third consecutive championship via sweep of the tournament. The sweet-smiling Lady Tigress captured the welterweight crown with an overwhelming 2-0 victory of Far Eastern University’s Imee Esternon. In the 21st SEAG in Kuala Lumpur, she ran out of gas in the championship match as she failed to bring home the gold medal with a 1-6 loss to Nootcharin Sukkhongnumduen of Thailand in the featherweight division. She was also a member of the National Team, which competed in the World Taekwando Championship at Jeju, South Korea last year.
On the other hand, Sajaya Jaitulla, the better swimmer of the Jaitulla sisters in the UST Women’s Swimming Team, made a lot of noise this year with her crucial role in the Lady Tankers rare fourth consecutive title. She was also a member of the silver medallist team that competed in the AUG.
The three female outstanding Thomasian athletes with their hats-off performance in the UAAP and in International events are equally deserving of an Athlete of the Year Award this season.
A star in the making
With their senior counterpart finishing short of the final four for the first time since the format was introduced, the Tiger Cubs took the different route as one of the only few bright notes for UST’s campaign in the first half of the season.
With the minute speedster Jose Cortez Jr. at the helm, the Tiger Cubs rammed the wall of Ateneo’s dynasty, preventing a third consecutive championship for the Katipunan squad.
True to his billing as one of the best High School basketball players in the land today, Cortez played his heart out in an explosive 34-point performance to lead the 89-79 whipping of the back-to-back champion from Katipunan.
Cortez, who is set to play for the seniors team next season, pulled the trigger in the first half as he erupted with 26 points. In Game One of the finals, Cortez broke the Blue Eaglet’s heart as he made a perfect dish similar to a football’s touchdown pass, setting John Paul Reyes’ game winning lay-up in the last 5.8 seconds of the game for a down-to-the-wire 69-67 victory.
The flashy guard bagged the Juniors’ MVP Plum and led the Mythical Team with his teammate John Paul Cuan, the younger brother of former La Salle’s court general Marc Cuan, joining him.
Rounding up the UAAP Thomasian MVPs are Ma. Michelleanne Nisce and Lea Coline Langit of the Girls’ Swimming Team.
The three top junior athletes showed a glimpse of the University’s bright future in the UAAP in the coming years.
“I congratulate all the athletes, not only the champions, but all the athletes, for they all contributed for the points needed to win this General Championship. As we close the 64th season, we usher in a new season – season 65. I hope and I’m looking forward again for another banner year next season,” Fr. De Sagon, O.P., Institue of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA) director, said.
Other honorees
Intramural champions also got a piece of the limelight. College of Commerce captured the men’s basketball title while the Faculty of Arts and Letters dominated the women’s division.
In the football tourney, the Ecclesiastical Faculties bagged their fifth straight in the men’s division as the College of Pharmacy dominated the women’s category.
The College of Pharmacy won the men’s volleyball finals with the College of Education clinching the title in the women’s division.
