Championship or bust for Jaja Santiago in her final year in NU

Jaja Santiago. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Jaja Santiago’s volleyball resume is already worth of anyone’s envy.

The 22-year-old middle blocker has won the Rookie of the Year, Best Attacker, and several Most Valuable Player plums while playing in the club level.

Santiago has also become a key figure for the Philippines in the international level having competed in the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship, Southeast Asian Games, and the AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship.

Of all those accolades, however, Santiago still needs one more piece in her stacked trophy cabinet—the UAAP title.

And as she enters her final collegiate year, Santiago said only the championship will complete her Lady Bulldog career.

“Of course that’s the one thing I’ve been searching for since I was a rookie, in the four years that have past I never got that,” said Santiago of the title in Filipino.

And although Santiago won four titles with NU in the offseason tournaments, and two in the club leagues, the closest she got to the UAAP trophy was in her first two years when the Lady Bulldogs reached the Final Four.

“Now that this is my last year I won’t allow myself to not get that title,” said Santiago. “And I won’t forgive myself if I will graduate without having led the team to the title.”