UP WVT SECURES FUTURE WITH ENTRIES OF DR. OBET VITAL, CASIEY DONGALLO
While the University of the Philippines women's volleyball team's (WVT) prospects are better than ever in the coming UAAP Season 87, the sun rising on tomorrow has just become brighter with the arrival of developmental expert Dr. Obet Vital and star spiker Casiey Dongallo.
Vital will oversee the Fighting Maroons' newly-formalized training pool and concurrently serve as assistant to head coach Benson Bocboc, while also ensuring the program's continued contention by spearheading its grassroots program. He brings over decades of experience as educator and shot-caller for California Academy in Antipolo, as well as interim head coach of University of the East.
Vital was instrumental in Dongallo's rise from promising player from Cebu to UAAP record holder for single season scoring.
Now, the 5-foot-7 ace follows the mentor who discovered and developed her into a 291-point scorer from UE to Diliman, where she will undergo one-year residency before being eligible in Season 88. Dongallo will be flanked by fellow transferees in setter Kizzie Madriaga, Jelai Gajero, and Jenalyn Umayam, as they prepare to reinforce a roster that will still feature onetime second best middle blocker Nina Ytang and former UAAP juniors MVP Kianne Olango.
In the meantime, the WVT - still supported by Strong Group Athletics (SGA) and business tycoon Frank Lao - will go all-out to improve on a one-win showing last season and fight for the right to enter its first Final Four since 2017. Ytang and Olango will stand at the forefront alongside veterans Nica Celis and Irah Jaboneta, as well as youngsters Yesha Noceja and Bienne Bansil and one-and-done dynamo Kassy Doering under the guidance of first-year tactician Bocboc and new assistants Vital and Alohi Robbins-Hardy.
"Their arrival is a sign that Mr. Frank Lao, SGA, and OASD are really sincere in developing the UP volleyball program. Their addition to our roster, together with our recruits this year, will definitely make our team a contender in the following years," said UP volleyball program director Oliver Almadro.
Alongside Vital's earlier entry which provided a pathway to UP, Dongallo, Madriaga, Gajero, and Umayam saw a golden opportunity to be part of the Fighting Maroons' slow but steady rise to contention. The last time the WVT was in the Final Four, Tots Carlos and Issa Molde were still in maroon-and-green and Vital, Dongallo, and Co. are eager to help in not only ending its playoff drought, but also to ensure that it can remain a fixture in the Final Four.
In all, this is a much-welcome development for UP, which hopes to raise the bar for its volleyball program just like it has for its men's basketball team, which won its second championship in four seasons last December.
"It's about time na palakasin din natin ang volleyball teams natin because they have great potential to be another source for unity ng UP community. We welcome the entry of Doc Obet and his players 'di lang para palakasin ang WVT, but to also show that we're turning serious about competing in volleyball," said UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development Dir. Bo Perasol.
