The National University Lady Bulldogs have set a new standard for excellence last year after winning their 80th straight game on the way to retaining the UAAP women’s basketball crown.
Coached by Pat Aquino and bannered by Finals’ MVP and national team player Jack Animam, the Jhocson-based school rewrote history by extending their long unbeaten streak and claimed a fifth straight championship during Season 81 of the league.
It was the fifth straight year the team went undefeated, while at the same time, broke the longest winning streak of any sport in UAAP history previously held by the Adamson women’s softball team at 73.
Incidentally, Ria Nabalan and Jhianne Layug were the only members of the team who were part of all the Lady Bulldogs’ five championships.
The remarkable feat is certainly one for the books. As a result, the Lady Bulldogs will be bestowed with the President’s Award in next week’s SMC-PSA (Philippine Sportswriters Association) Annual Awards Night at the Manila Hotel.
The event presented by MILO, the Philippine Sports Commission, and Cignal TV, will be held on Feb. 26.
“Theirs is an inspiring story of what individual talent coupled with the right chemistry can do. The National University Lady Bulldogs certainly deserve this accolade, which comes at a time when the PSA also recognizes five young ladies as its co-winners of the Athlete of the Year award,” said PSA president Eduardo ‘Dodo’ Catacutan of SPIN.ph.
The Lady Bulldogs now join the elite ranks of previous President’s Award winners such as Manny V. Pangilinan, Gilas Pilipinas 3.0, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, fellow National University Bulldogs, pool champions Rubilen Amit, Dennis Orcollo, and Lee Van Corteza, among others.
The quartet of Hidilyn Diaz, Margielyn Didal, and golfers Yuka Saso, Bianca Pagdanganan, and Lois Kaye Go will be the recipient of the highest honor given out by the country’s oldest media organization during the gala night also backed by the Philippine Basketball Association, Mighty Sports, ICTSI, SM Prime Holdings, Tapa King, Rain or Shine, NorthPort, and Chooks To Go.
A total of 75 awardees are included in the honor roll list made up of Lifetime Achievement Award, National Sports Association of the Year, Executive of the Year, Special Awards (Mighty Sports Mr Basketball, Mr and Ms Volleyball, and Mr Football), Major Awards, Citations, Tony Siddayao Awards, Special Recognition, Posthumous, MILO Junior Athletes of the Year, and Mr. Fan Favorite ‘Manok ng Bayan’ Award.
