In the aftermath of National University’s historic back-to-back championship in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, middle blockers Erin Pangilinan and Sheena Toring took a moment not to bask in glory — but to give credit where it was long due.
For the graduating pillars of NU’s “Golden Generation,” the championship wasn’t just a testament to their own growth, but a reflection of the guidance of the coaches who molded them from raw talent into champions — starting from their high school years to their final days in the UAAP.
“Pinaka credit talaga sa all of coaches kay Coach Babes [Castillo] kasi siya talaga nag-mold sa character namin,” said Pangilinan, who closed her UAAP career with seven points — four attacks, three blocks — and five excellent digs.
While NU had a carousel of head coaches in the past four years, each contributing to a title run — Karl Dimaculangan in Season 84, Norman Miguel in Season 86, and Sherwin Meneses in Season 87 — the one name Pangilinan and Toring both returned to was Raymund “Babes” Castillo, the architect of the NU Lady Bullpups dynasty in the mid-2010s.
Back in 2010, it wasn’t NU-Nazareth dominating the girls’ volleyball scene.
Powerhouses like De La Salle-Zobel, UST, and UE ruled the league.
But Castillo’s long-term vision began to shift that balance, rebuilding the NU system from the ground up.
That foundation proved critical to the success NU would later enjoy at the collegiate level.
After Castillo’s departure in Season 82, the baton was passed to Regine Diego, who picked up where he left off and steered the Lady Bullpups to a perfect 14-0 sweep.
Their groundwork laid the path for players like Pangilinan, Toring, Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, and Lams Lamina to carry the tradition into the UAAP seniors division.
“Inemphasize niya each and every moment with him, talagang inemphasize niya yung character and yung attitude towards playing volleyball — kung ano ba dapat namin gawin and kung paano mas maging reactive sa iba’t ibang sitwasyon,” Pangilinan added.
(C) UAAP Season 86 Media Team
Toring echoed this sentiment, saying the success of the Lady Bulldogs wasn’t just about talent — it was built on loyalty, unity, and an unbreakable commitment to the system that nurtured them.
“I think yung bunga pa is yung loyalty namin sa NU kasi we decided to stay talaga. ‘Yon talaga yung dahilan kung bakit kami nag-stay sa NU, para ituloy namin yung championships namin from high school to college,” Toring shared.
“May mantra nga kami sa NUNS noon na, ‘stay focused, stay humble, stay hungry.’ ‘Yon lang talaga yung palagi namin rine-remind sa sarili namin.”
And while they honored the legacy of Castillo and Diego, the duo also credited current head coach Sherwin Meneses for evolving their understanding of the game — especially in their final year.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“I think kay Coach Sherwin, tinuruan niya kami kung paano padaliin yung volleyball,” said Pangilinan. “All those years na playing sa volleyball, especially dahil middle blockers kami, parang marami kami prinoproblema. Kay coach Sherwin kasi, may sistema talaga siya and tinutulungan niya kami intindihin na hindi lahat ng bagay, sasaluhin namin.
“Tulong-tulong talaga, may role lahat, and ayon ang pinakamaganda sa sistema kasi hindi ka gagalaw para sa’yo lang. Gagalaw ka para sa teammates mo.”
Toring added, “Kasi sa other coaches na na-experience ko, iba yung blocking system ni coach Sherwin, parang more on pinapagaan sa amin at hindi lang lahat sa amin iba-block.”
Now, with two collegiate titles under their belt and years of hard-earned experience, both Pangilinan and Toring are ready to turn the page.
Following some well-deserved rest, the pair will apply for the 2025 Premier Volleyball League Draft.
“Syempre, magbabakasyon muna kami. Deserve naman namin na parang mag-rest and stop muna sa volleyball, then we’ll talk about kung ano yung next plans,” Pangilinan said.
“Yes. Doon talaga ang balak namin, para magpa-draft,” Toring affirmed.
#WATCH: Erin Pangilinan and Sheena Toring, two pillars from the Lady Bulldogs’ Golden Generation, reminisce about their unforgettable NU journey and share their exciting future plans 🏐
📹 @ickodeg /Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/T1YcDzM3Ik
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) May 14, 2025
