For the third consecutive year, University of the East is seeing student-athlete transfers to University of the Philippines, as five key members of the Lady Warriors are making the switch to the Fighting Maroons – just a month before the start of the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
Sophomore spiker Casiey Dongallo, red-shirt opposite spiker Jelai Gajero, sophomore setter Kizzie Madriaga, sophomore spiker Shamel Fernandez, and red-shirt spiker Jenalyn Umayam are in the process of transferring to UP.
This follows a trend that began two years ago when big man Gani Stevens made the same transition, and continued with UAAP Season 86 Mythical Team member Rey Remogat last year.
Former Lady Warriors head coach Obet Vital has also joined the Fighting Maroons coaching staff.
Vital, who will be working alongside head coach Benson Bocboc, made the decision to move to UP last December, citing differences in vision regarding the future of the UE volleyball program.
“It was a tough decision, but there are things beyond our control that led to this,” Vital shared.
“There were differences in vision, particularly regarding program development, grassroots initiatives, and the long-term direction of the team. It became clear that our goals and approach no longer aligned.”
Vital was the head coach of the quintet at California Academy–Antipolo.
According to multiple sources closely monitoring the situation, it was the collective decision of the five student-athletes to join Vital and move to UP.
They will now serve a two-semester residency at UP before becoming eligible to play in UAAP Season 88, in line with the new transfer rules in place.
For Dongallo, Madriaga, and Fernandez, this means they will have two more years of eligibility, while Gajero and Umayam will have three.
