NATIONAL UNIVERSITY (NU) held its first-ever jersey retirement ceremony during the UAAP Season 88 Pep Rally at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, celebrating the illustrious collegiate career of former Lady Bulldog Bella Belen.
On Thursday, in front of a proud crowd of Nationalians, Belen witnessed a dream fulfilled as her alma mater paid tribute to her unmatched contributions. Her name is now etched permanently in the history book of NU.
With eight championships, five MVP awards, and a legacy filled with groundbreaking achievements, the Lady Bulldogs’ icon has achieved immortality—her No. 4 jersey officially retired and never to be worn again.
Legend 4ever
Just four months ago, Belen led the NU Lady Bulldogs to their second consecutive UAAP women’s volleyball championship and declared her move to the Premier Volleyball League, where she was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft.
Now, she marks another historic feat—becoming the first-ever NU student-athlete to have their jersey officially retired. She also becomes just the third player in UAAP volleyball history to receive this rare honor.
Only three volleyball players have earned this distinction, but it’s far from an ordinary list. Belen now stands alongside the iconic No. 3 of FEU’s Rachel Daquis and the legendary No. 14 of DLSU’s Manilla Santos-Navarro.
“Sobrang saya po talaga,” Belen told a media after receiving her jersey retirement. “I mean kanina, bago ako pumunta dito, iyak ako nang iyak sa condo.”
“Hindi ko ma-explain or maipaliwanag. Basta I’m very happy and thankful sa NU kasi na-recognize nila ‘yung hard work ko for the past few years. I’m very happy,” she went on to say.
One of a Kind
Belen joined the Jhocson-based university with a singular goal: to become the best version of herself. At just 15 years old, she wasted no time rewriting the program’s history and laying the foundation for its future success.
As a standout with the Lady Bullpups, she led NU-Nazareth School to six consecutive finals appearances from Seasons 77 to 82, winning five championships and earning two MVP honors along the way.
Upon stepping into the collegiate scene in UAAP Season 84, Belen delivered one of the most memorable debuts ever—a historic Rookie-MVP season that ended NU’s 65-year title drought in women’s volleyball.
Of course, every great journey includes setbacks. NU faltered in Season 85 but bounced back in Season 86 to reclaim the crown against rival UST, before sealing her collegiate career with back-to-back titles in Season 87.
By the end of her stellar run, Belen had secured three UAAP MVP trophies, joining Ateneo icon Alyssa Valdez and FEU legend Ailyn Ege in an elite circle.
Her bubbly personality may fool some, but make no mistake—Bella Belen now stands as the ultimate benchmark of what it means to be a Lady Bulldog, and one of the most iconic figures in UAAP history.
