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Michelle
Bruzola, University of the East’s fencing queen, was
named the University Athletic Association of the
Philippines (UAAP) Season 70 Athlete of the Year seniors
division during the league’s awards night Saturday at
the Plaza Mayor inside the Santo Tomas U campus.
Bruzola,
a 20-year-old junior information technology major, won a
gold medal during the 24th Southeast Asian Games in
Thailand last year to go along with her mints in the
women’s individual epee and women’s team epee during the
UAAP.
She was
also named the Most Valuable Player in the women’s
fencing competition en route to the Amazons’ women’s
fencing title this season.
MICHELLE BRUZOLA and Ingrid
Ilustre make the UE proud after bagging the most coveted
individual awards, while UST rector Fr. Rolando de la
Rosa, UAAP president Fr. Ermito de Sagon and UST
athletic director Felicitas Francisco accept the UAAP
Season 70 general-championship trophy (top photo).
“Mas
masaya po ako na nakuha ko ’yung Athlete of the
Year,” said Bruzola. “Hindi ko po inaasahan itong
award na ito.”
The UAAP
awards committee led by UST basketball personnel head
Mike Silbor not only took into consideration an
athlete’s performance during the UAAP tournament but in
international competitions as well.
Other
contenders for the plum were Far Eastern U trackster
Nelbert Ducusin, University of the
Philippines
swimming sensation and former Athlete of the Year Maria
Luica Dacanay and Ateneo’s basketball star Cassy Tioseco.
In the
juniors side, swimmer Ingrid Ilustre, also from UE, won
the Athlete of the Year.
The
awards ceremony was held in front of UST’s old and famed
Main Building, the first time the ceremony was held
outdoors in league history.
General
championship
UST also
received its 35th general championship trophy Saturday
night with the school’s rector Rev. Fr. Rolando de la
Rosa, O.P., himself receiving the trophy.
The
Dominican school also formally turned over the hosting
chores of Season 71 to UP, which is celebrating its
centennial year.
“We have
hosted the UAAP in the best and economical way
possible,” said outgoing UAAP president Fr. Ermito de
Sagon in his speech.
“Because
it is our centennial year, we will be doing our best to
make Season 71 a success,” said UP
College of
Human Kinetic
dean Hercules Callanta.
Academic
achievement
Besides
honoring great athletic accomplishments during the
season, the league also honored those who best
exemplified the term “student-athletes.”
How did
they do it?
“Mas
priority ko lang talaga ang pag-aaral dahil
sayang ang scholarship,” said 22-year-old basketball
player Cyrus Malagueño of National U, a graduating
management major and one of the awardees.
He was
joined by fellow cagers Chris Tiu of Ateneo and James
Martinez of UE, along with badminton player Jubie Anne
Vallanta of Adamson, football player Carissa Camara of
De la Salle, volleyball star Edjet Mabbayad of FEU,
trackster Javier Luis Gomez of UP and chess player Rizza
Mae Dizon of UST.
UST out
of V-League
The
Tigresses varsity team has decided not to participate in
the coming Shakey’s V-League first conference, citing
the illness of the club’s head coach.
August
Santamaria suffered a mild stroke recently and UST
officials said it would forgo its stint in the premier
volleyball tournament, which will field only seven teams
at the V-League opening on March 30. |
