NU’s Bella Belen during a game against La Salle in the second round of UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Bella Belen remained focused on her goal to lead National University to a title repeat after leading the MVP race in the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball tournament.
Belen is on pace to join an elite club of three-time MVP winners Alyssa Valdez of Ateneo from Seasons 76 to 78 in the past decade and Far Eastern University’s ‘three-peat’ champion Monica Aleta from 2000 to 2002 after leading the first round with 159.600 Statistical Points.
The two-time UAAP MVP wasn’t in the top five scorers with 107 points off 84 attacks, 17 aces, and six blocks. But she was the top server with 0.68 aces per set, sixth in digs with 2.60 per set, and fifth in receptions with a 33.58 percent efficiency rate.
READ: UAAP: Bella Belen leads women’s volleyball MVP race after first round
Bella Belen on leading the MVP race after the first round. #UAAPSeason87 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/UjI5FzbimO
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) March 23, 2025
Belen is not thinking about any individual awards as her only goal is to win another title in her last dance in the UAAP.
“I believe that awards are just bonus. What I need to focus on is contributing to the team, and it’s really all about team effort. I couldn’t do it without the help of my teammates,” said Belen in Filipino.
The fourth-year outside spiker led NU’s elimination round sweep of La Salle, 25-19, 22-25, 25-20, 25-18, to stay unbeaten in eight games on Sunday night at Mall of Asia Arena.
Belen finished with 23 points off 17 kills, four blocks, and two aces and had 17 excellent receptions to kick off their second-round campaign and beat the duo of Shevana Laput and Angel Canino.
The UAAP women’s volleyball’s first rookie MVP is also determined to take her game to the next level, seeing a lot of young stars rising in the collegiate scene.
“I just always want to raise the level of my game because there are a lot of young, talented players coming into the UAAP. So, I need to push myself even more. Awards are just a bonus for a player. What matters is that we work hard, and that’s our goal this season,” she said.
READ: UAAP: NU beats La Salle anew to go 8-0 in women’s volleyball
NU coach Sherwin Meneses, who already handled several PVL MVPs Alyssa Valdez, Tots Carlos, Bernadeth Pons, Jema Galanza, and Michele Gumabao, is in awe of Belen’s leadership making her teammates better, while standing out as a great individual player.
“The number one thing is how she handles the team, both on and off the court. As a captain, she manages the team well, especially the younger players. It’s really impressive how she handles being a leader and how she leads by example. I truly admire her leadership,” Meneses said in Filipino.
From being a rookie MVP in their first title run in Season 84, Belen has grown into a mature leader for the Lady Bulldogs.
“I feel like, just assuming here, I’ve matured a lot compared to my rookie year. Back then, I had seniors like Ate Jen (Nierva), Ate Princess (Robles), and Ate Joyme (Cagande), so I could still be carefree and playful during training and games,” said Belen. “Now, I’m one of the seniors, so I think about what I can leave behind when I eventually leave NU—something that they can pick up, like ‘I like what Ate Belle is doing, I should adapt that and apply it when I play.'”
Despite the strong start, Belen remains hungry for more in their quest to win their third title in four seasons.
“We really worked hard for it because we know that in the second round, all our games won’t be easy. Every win becomes important for every team because it will dictate the rankings as we approach the end of the season,” said Belen. “We focus on what we still need to work on. I’m sure we’ll face challenges in the next games since there are still a lot of matches left and teams will have time to study how to beat us. At the same time, we also have more time to work on our lapses.”