UST fans cheer for the UST Golden Tigresses in the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
The University of Santo Tomas (UST) has long been the measure of athletic excellence in the UAAP. That remained the same on Wednesday when the school’s wide participation and strong finishes resulted in an eighth straight general championship in the seniors division—and seventh straight in the juniors field.
“I’m happy, and I know the whole Thomasian community is also happy that we bagged this award for Season 86—that we were crowned as general champions,” said UST Institute of Physical Education and Athletics director Fr. Rodel Cancancio, OP.
Overall, it was UST’s 47th general championship in the seniors level and 23rd in juniors. UST’s college standouts amassed 332 points to rule Season 86 while the high school athletes collected 257 points for their crown.
Athletes of the Year
“This is the culmination and the fruit of our hard work, sacrifices, and dedication of our coaches and student-athletes,” Cancancio said.
UST won championships in women’s basketball, men’s table tennis, women’s taekwondo, poomsae, men’s and women’s beach volleyball, men’s tennis, men’s chess, and women’s 3×3 basketball to dominate the seniors scene.
The junior Thomasian athletes struck gold in table tennis, girls’ beach volleyball, boys’ and girls’ swimming, boys’ judo and girls’ athletics.
READ: UST wins seniors, juniors UAAP Season 85 general championships
De La Salle University placed second in both the collegiate (269) and high school (154) divisions.
University of the Philippines (UP) was third (258) in college, while Adamson took third (135) in high school.
Meanwhile, UP’s Quendy Fernandez, an 18-year-old swimming ace from Puerto Princesa, was named Athlete of the Year for individual events after winning three golds to highlight her freshman year. Adamson’s Hussein Lorana won the high school version after winning three golds in boys’ athletics.
Team MVPs went to UST’s Kent Pastrana, who powered the Tigresses to the basketball gold, and Adamson’s Shaina Nitura, who spearheaded Adamson’s girls volleyball championship run. —INQUIRER SPORTS STAFF