UST MAY have finished second to De La Salle University anew in the UAAP seniors division overall championship, but its 48 international athlete awardees may well have made up for the disappointing news.
With five titles in men’s and women’s basketball, table tennis, men’s taekwondo and women’s chess, La Salle ruled Season 76 with 289 points, while UST, which had championships in women’s taekwondo and poomsae, finished with 274 points.
UST’s international awardees, who were feted along with other athletes during the UAAP Season 76 closing ceremonies at the Century Park Hotel in Manila last Mar. 19, were the most number of athletes who competed abroad from a single school.
“I feel very proud for UST because although we did not get the general championship, having the most number of athletes who represent the country shows that UST houses really great athletes,” said Abi Cham, reigning women’s taekwondo Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Most of the Thomasian athletes recognized in the ceremonies participated in the Southeast Asian Games in Myanmar last Dec. 11 to 22.
Among them were Cham, Smart Gilas member Kevin Ferrer, Tiger Jins Christian Al dela Cruz, Jane Narra and Vidal Marvin Gabriel, rookie Tigershark Franz Marquez and Softbelles Jonalie Almonia and Mallows Garde.
Rookies of the Year Aaron Reyes (juniors’ basketball), Eloiza Luzon (women’s athletics), Lorelei Tolentino (women’s judo) and Kris Roy Guzman (beach volleyball), and MVPs Ennajie Laure (girls’ volleyball) and Ronalyn Lalimo (girls’ swimming) were also given recognition.
Tourism major Narra was the lone recipient of the special recognition for student-athletes who excelled in academics.
In the juniors division, UST also placed second to the University of the East (UE) in the race for the general championship.
Adamson University passed the hosting duties to UE for Season 77, which will open on July 12 with the theme “Unity in Excellence.” Ralph Joshua D.R. Hernandez
