Almadro: New UAAP women’s volleyball coach. UAAP photo
Almandro named UP coach
OLIVER Almadro hopes that his journey in the other side of Katipunan will also result to a success.
Already getting his hands dirty in the rebuild of the University of the Philippines teams after being named as the school’s program director in August of last year, Almadro will be also be manning the sidelines for the Fighting Maroons when the UAAP women’s volleyball tournament opens next month.
“I’m eager to take on this challenge of re-energizing the UP Fight in volleyball. There will be challenges, of course, but this is a blessing for me and hopefully, with the all-out support of the UP community and the guidance of the Lord, kakayanin nating mag-compete,” said Almadro.
Hia mission is clear: establish and then reinforce a winning culture with the Fighting Maroons, who are coming off a disappointing 1-13 season last year under then coach Shaq delos Santos.
Almadro knows a thing or two about that as for over a decade in Ateneo, winning three men’s volleyball titles, a women’s volleyball championship and a men’s beach volleyball gold as well.
After placing sixth in last season despite having Faith Nisperos and Vanie Gandler in the roster, Almadro was replaced by Brazilian Sergio Veloso as the Blue Eagles head coach.
Niña Ytang, who was last season’s 2nd Best Middle Blocker, Jewel Encarnacion, Nica Celis and skipper Abi Goc will lead UP’s campaign.
Also helping out as assistants will be Nicole Tiamzon, who was part of the Fighting Maroons squad which last reached the Final Four in 2016, and Jarod Hubalde, who coached the women’s team in the 2012-13 season.
“Ang malinaw naman sa gusto nating mangyari is we want to compete and we want to win. Pero ‘di natin mamadaliin. We will go through the process, kaya rin natin pinabalik as coaches yung mga may alam talaga sa UP Fight in volleyball,” Almadro said.
Comebacking coach Sergio “Vip” Isada, meanwhile, will handle the men’s squad.
Isada, who took over from Rald Ricafort, will have Carlo Cabatingan as his first deputy while Louis Gamban and Gelo Lagando will be the players at the forefront of UP’s quest to move forward from its own 1-13 record.
The Fighting Maroons’ women’s and men’s teams placed second in the recently-concluded UniGames volleyball tournament in Dipolog City, a part of their UAAP build-up.
