UST ace Josh Ybañez was also hailed rookie-MVP in the men’s volleyball tournament in a brief awarding ceremony on Sunday.
De La Salle University Lady Spikers' rookie ace Angel Canino and University of Santo Tomas Golden Spikers’ freshman standout Josh Ybañez were named Most Valuable Players of the UAAP Season 85 women's and men’s volleyball, respectively.
Canino was third in scoring with 227 points and garnered 89.375 statistical points (SPs). She had a 36.42% efficiency in spiking (fourth in the league) and 40.85 reception rate (fourth). She was also seventh in service with 0.27 ace per set and ninth in blocking with 0.44 kill blocks per set.
Canino, also this season's second-best outside spiker, is now the second rookie-MVP in women’s play after the National University Lady Bulldogs’ Bella Belen received the same recognition last season.
She beat teammate Jolina dela Cruz (86.875 SPs) and UST’s Eya Laure (84.074) for the highest individual award.
“I just wanna thank God sa blessing at sa gift na binigay Niya sa’kin na makapag-share sa volleyball community and maka-inspire po ako sa mga bata,” she said.
She ended her brief speech with a promise: “Pangako po hindi kami titigil hangga’t hindi naibabalik sa La Salle ang korona.”
Other awardees in the distaff side were: La Salle’s Dela Cruz (1st Best Outside spiker), Thea Gagate (1st Best Middle Blocker), and Mars Alba (Best Setter), Far Eastern University Tamaraws’ Jovelyn Fernandez (Best Opposite Spiker), UST’s Bernadett Pepito (Best Libero), and University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons’ Niña Ytang (2nd Best Middle Blocker).
Meanwhile, Ybañez earned the top men's volley individual plum as he had 292 points (second) and a success rate of 45.74%. The 20-year-old was also first in service (0.36 aces per set) and second in reception (56.99% efficiency).
Ybañez, who was also named the Best Outside Spiker, became the first freshman MVP since former Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles star Marck Espejo (2014) and the first UST player since Mark Alfafara (2015) to win the highest individual honor.
Other awardees were: National University’s Buds Buddin (2nd Best Outside Spiker), Joshua Retamar (Best Setter), and Obed Mukaba (1st Best Middle Blocker), La Salle's Billie Anima (2nd Best Middle Blocker), UST’s Jay Rack De La Noche (Best Opposite Spiker), and Ateneo’s Lance De Castro (Best Libero).
(GM)