The De La Salle University Green Spikers are looking to finally gain some stability after hiring Arnold Laniog as their new head coach.
Laniog comes just across the street from La Salle. He coaches the College of Saint of Benilde, and has led the Blazers to the NCAA Season 92 Men’s Volleyball title. Laniog also has several club coaching stints under his belt, most recently filling in for Ramil De Jesus in the 2018 Philippine Superliga Grand Prix.
The youthful mentor took the job around November last year, after the Green Spikers’ former head coach Norman Miguel left to coach the National University Lady Bulldogs.
Laniog’s Blazers have been incredibly successful in the NCAA. Aside from winning a title in Season 92, Benilde have made the Final Four since Season 90.
It will, however, be a new challenge to turn around the Green Spikers program. Laniog – who is La Salle’s fourth head coach in four years, and sixth since Season 74 – will look to break a five-year UAAP Final Four drought.
“Malaking challenge talaga kasi UAAP na ito. Lahat ng kasali na team is very competitive, especially considering na maraming nag-graduate sa team from last season, and now half of the team ay rookies,” said Laniog. The Green Spikers have lost veterans Raymark Woo, Arjay Onia, Jopet Movido, and Mike Frey.
“But since this is our first season with the team and we were just given two months before UAAP, as their new coaches, we will try our very best to push the team to their best potential,” added Laniog, who has been working closely with Lady Spikers head coach Ramil De Jesus.
“No matter what happens, we will just keep on working hard to improve and develop the team’s skills and chemistry.”
Besides this, the Green Spikers now have a full-time team manager in Raffy Villavicencio.
