Cherry Rondina, Jessie Lacuna hailed UAAP Season 81 Athletes of the Year

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—University of Santo Tomas’ Cherry Rondina and Ateneo’s Jessie Khing Lacuna won the league’s top individual honors after being named the Athletes of the Year for Season 81 during its closing ceremonies Tuesday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Rondina was phenomenal for UST after leading the Golden Tigresses to their third straight beach volleyball crown, and fifth overall, in the Season 81 tournament wherein she and partner Babylove Barbon swept the competition leading to her fourth MVP in the sport.

She also led UST to the silver medal in the indoor volleyball tournament wherein she was also named the MVP.

“I’m really blessed because I didn’t expect that this would go my way,” said Rondina who placed fifth in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Manila Open 1-star in 2018.

Lacuna, meanwhile, won his second Athlete of the Year plum and duplicated his achievement from 2016 when he shared the accolade with the late great Ian Lariba of De La Salle’s table tennis team, Ateneo women’s volleyball team’s Alyssa Valdez, and Adamson softball’s Queeny Sabobo.

FILE – Jessie Khing Lacuna of the Philippines (C) competes in the men’s 400m freestyle final at the 28th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Singapore on June 11, 2015. AFP PHOTO / SAJJAD HUSSAIN (Photo by SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP)

Ateneo also swept the Athlete of the Year recognitions in the high school division with basketball sensation Kai Sotto and swimmer Philip Joaquin Santos emerging as the winners

The UAAP also honored the athlete-scholars who had great achievements not only in the sport but also in the academic field.

Adamson University’s Jed Colonia, Ateneo’s Reagan Gavino, De La Salle’s Jem Arribas, Far Eastern University’s Josefa Ligmayo, National University’s Jack Danielle Animam, University of the East’s Allaine Cortey, University of Santo Tomas’ Mae Bernal, and University of the Philippines’ Nikki Oliva were honored as the top athlete-scholars of the eight schools.