SMB big man, top volleyball and football stars to be honored

June Mar Fajardo with his trophies which includes a fifth PBA MVP award. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

June Mar Fajardo and three other sports stars will be feted with special individual titles in the SMC-Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night on Feb. 26 at Manila Hotel.

The 6-foot-11 Fajardo is again the recipient of the Mighty Sports Mr. Basketball award, marking the fifth straight year the San Miguel Beer main man is going to be honored as such by the country’s oldest media organization.

Fajardo, 29, won a fifth straight PBA MVP award last year following yet another dominant season that saw him steer the Beermen to a record-tying fourth straight Philippine Cup championship.

The Team Philippines regular will be joined by Jaja Santiago, Marck Espejo and Neil Etheridge, who will also be honored for their individual feats in their respective fields during the event presented by Milo, the Philippine Sports Commission and Cignal TV.

Santiago will be named Ms. Volleyball for the first time while Espejo will notch a second straight Mr. Volleyball trophy. Etheridge, meanwhile, is the 2018 Mr. Football.

The 6-foot-5 Santiago won UAAP Season 80 MVP while steering the National U Lady Bulldogs to a Final Four stint. She is the first Filipino to play in the Japan V. Premier League.

Espejo, meanwhile, bagged a fifth straight MVP during Season 80 of the UAAP and guided the Ateneo Blue Eagles to a runner-up finish behind NU. The 21-year-old hitter from Marikina is also in Japan playing for local club Otta Miyoshi Weisse Adler.

Etheridge made history last year by becoming the first Filipino and Southeast Asian player to play in the English Premier League after hooking up as goalkeeper of Cardiff City.