National U Gears Up for Title Defense in UAAP Volleyball

AFTER an intense UAAP Season 87 for collegiate basketball, fans are now transferring their attention to Men’s and Women’s Volleyball, as National University (NU) prepares to defend its title this year. 

With just a few days till the start of another volleyball season, fans can’t help but be excited for another set of intense volleyball performances, particularly to see the Bulldogs defend their title. 

Both the men’s and women’s volleyball teams from the Jhocson-based institution won the Season 86 championship while competing against the same university, the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

Defend the Crown

Last year, Bella Belen and the entire NU women’s team advanced to the finals despite having a difficult time defeating the Far Eastern University (FEU) Lady Tamaraws in the rubber match Final Four. 

In the finals, the Lady Bulldogs defeated the UST Golden Spikers 2-0, led by MVP Alyssa Solomon’s outstanding performance. 

Despite playing them in the finals, the spotlight has returned to the rivalry between NU and the De La Salle University (DLSU) Lady Spikers, since Angel Canino, Season 85’s Rookie of the Year and MVP awardee, is back and healthy.

Canino missed a significant portion of DLSU’s Season 86 due to a non-volleyball-related right forearm injury she acquired while on campus during the Holy Week break in April 2024.

Belen, on the other hand, is well prepared to give everything the team needs for her senior year with the university. This year, the former UAAP MVP has a different perspective as one of the team’s leaders.

“Palaban akong tao. Hindi ko gusto na matalo lang ng basta-basta,” said Belen in an interview with UAAP Varsity Channel. “For me kasi, ‘yung mentality ko is hanggat kaya naming lumalaban, lalaban kami. Ako hanggat kaya kong lumaban, lalaban ako.”

“Gusto ko, sana, mag-Back-to-Back [Champions] kami this season, kasi ayun ‘yung hindi pa nagagawa ng NU. And gusto namin mag-iwan ng maganda for our team and for National University,” she added.

Meanwhile, NU’s men’s squad is preparing to embark on their own push for a fifth consecutive UAAP crown. The Bulldogs have been a dominant force for many years, but we’ll see if that continues this year. 

Let The Action Begin

Volleyball action begins on Saturday with last season’s first runner-up UST against FEU Lady Tamaraws at 3:00 p.m., while their men’s counterparts face off first at 11:00 a.m. at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. 

The host school, the University of the Philippines, will face the University of the East in the other women’s match at 1:00 p.m. following their men’s match at 9:00 a.m., the opening of the season.

On Sunday, Ateneo de Manila University and Adamson University will face off in the women’s division at 1:00 p.m., while their respective men’s teams will compete in the day’s first match at 9:00 a.m. 

Belen and the rest of NU will begin their quest for a third championship in four seasons against their archrivals DLSU at 3:00 p.m. On Sunday, the Bulldogs face the Green Spikers at 11:00 a.m.