ATENEO de Manila has officially announced on Thursday the transfer of three-time University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s volleyball champion coach Oliver Almadro to the Lady Eagles side starting in Season 81.
Timmy Sto. Tomas, meanwhile, will handle the reins for the Blue Eagles.
Ateneo President Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ, confirmed the developments in the school’s volleyball teams through a school memo.
“These appointments are a result of the search committee’s review of a number of applicants after the departure of Coach Tai Bundit as head coach of the Ateneo women’s volleyball team,” Villarin said in his statement.
“I thank both Coach Oliver and Coach Timmy for generously accepting their mission and I trust that they will be open fo the guidance and inspiration of our Lord as they rebuild our teams anew for the coming season,” he added.
Almadro won three straight titles with the Blue Eagles but National University snapped the streak in Season 80. Now, he has a tough task to the rebuild ghe Lady Eagles, whose former coach, Bundit, resigned after five seasons he he highlighted with two championships in four Finals appearances.
Far Eastern University eliminated Ateneo in the Season 80 semifinals.
“It’s a promotion and it’s a challenge. We know that those are big shoes to fill. We know na Ateneo is very sought after, very famous. Always in the Finals, unfornate only for the previous season. The team has a good program,” said Almadro, an accredited FIVB Level 2 international coach who has been serving Ateneo for the past seven years in a coaching career that now spans two decades.
The new Lady Eagles coach is ready to take on the challenge as he inherits a rebuilding team led by Kat Tolentino, reigning Best Setter Deanna Wong, Jules Samonte and Ponggay Gaston.
Bea de Leon and skipper Maddie Madayag have yet to decide if they will return to complete their final playing year.
“I’m taking this challenge positively. On my part, as a coach, I will be a big help for them. There’s a lot of pressure, but I’m taking this positively,” he said. “This is huge for my career and I hope I could cope up rightaway and establish my system.”
Sto. Tomas, on the other hand, is returning to the Blue Eagles whom he coached in Season 74.
It will be a tougher challenge for Almadro’s former lead assistant as the team’s cornerstone players—five-time Most Valuable Player Marck Espejo, five-time Best Setter Ish Polvorosa and skipper Karl Baysa—have graduated.
Instead, Sto. Tomas will be coaching a young team led by Ron Medalla, John Rivera and Chumason Njigha.
Villarin is giving his full trust to Sto. Tomas, who has been loyal to the school. He donned Ateneo’s colors form 2004 to 2009 and has been a staff of the University Athletics Office for the past 10 years.