Edgar Barroga is the new head coach for San Beda Lady Red Spikers. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Edgar Barroga is eager to rebuild San Beda University’s women’s volleyball program ahead of NCAA Season 99.
The school on Thursday announced that they tap the seasoned coach to replace Ariel Dela Cruz for the next tournament.
Barroga is determined to take on the challenge for the Lady Red Spikers, who only won a total of three games in the past two NCAA seasons.
“What I can offer is to build this new team and give them a good training program. I hope we can also get sponsors to support the needs of the team and players,” said Barroga in Filipino after Gerflor’s four-set loss to Foton in the 2023 Premier Volleyball League (PVL) on Thursday at Philsports Arena. “I’m excited to meet them and at the same time I am challenged.”
“I hope I can conduct tryouts within this week so I can see the possible additional players to consider and start our preparation early,” he added.
LOOK: San Beda University taps Edgar Barroga as its new women’s volleyball team coach. | 📸: San Beda via @LanceAgcaoilINQ pic.twitter.com/9jFqzCUS7G
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) July 20, 2023
Barroga said he was offered by San Beda when Gerflor battled Bacolod Tay Tung in a tune-up match.
“Tay Tung is also connected to San Beda and I learned from them that there is an available position so they approached me and asked if I’m interested,” he said. “I got excited because it’s the NCAA and San Beda and I grabbed the opportunity right away. And then they considered my application.”
San Beda last made the Final Four in Season 94 in 2019, a year after Cesca Racraquin led the school to the Finals.
Barroga will juggle his duties with San Beda as well as National University-Nazareth School boys’ volleyball team in the UAAP and the Gerflor Defenders in the PVL.
“I will continue to coach NU. They are like my sons. I am still strengthening our line-up. It’s still their sem break but after this, we will go back to practice,” said the former Cignal coach, who steered the team to a Finals appearance in the 2019 Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference.