WOMEN’S volleyball star Alyssa Valdez of Ateneo will be among the many student-athletes who made a big impact and will be honored when Season 78 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines draws to an end in today’s closing ceremonies at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni inside the University of the Philippines campus.
Valdez, who just finished her stint with Lady Eagles as one of league’s 15 MVPs, is a candidate for this year’s Athlete of the Year honors.
She joins other candidates which include men’s basketball cager Kiefer Ravena and men’s football player Daniel Gadia of the University of the Philippines.
Rio Olympics-bound table tennis star Ian Lariba of La Salle, who won it last year with Far Eastern University woodpusher Janelle Frayna and Ateneo swimmer Hannah Dato, is also a contender.
Lariba recently led the Lady Archers to a second straight table tennis crown, helping La Salle retain the seniors’ division general championship.
The awards rites will start at 5 p.m.
The Cagayan de Oro native also made history by being the first Philippine table tennis player to qualify in the Olympics. She was unbeaten in her five-year stint with La Salle.
The UAAP will also honor the athlete-scholars who not only excelled in sports, but also in academics.
Citations will also be given to the league’s athletes, who competed in various international tournaments during the 2015-16 season.
Outgoing Season 78 president Dr. Michael Tan of UP will then hand over the league flag to incoming Season 79 president Fr. Ermito de Sagun of University of Santo Tomas.
Season 78 ended with FEU coming out of a 10-year title drought to claim a record 20th men’s basketball.
De La Salle regained the women’s volleyball throne and won its first-ever women’s beach volleyball crown, with UP achieving a golden double in football.
Adamson University also shone by winning its sixth consecutive softball crown, while Ateneo won the men’s volleyball for the second straight year. National University completed another sweep of the lawn tennis titles.