From ‘lucky coach’ to champion tactician, Sherwin Meneses has finally shut the doubters up — this time on college volleyball’s biggest stage.
For the longest time, many fans dismissed Meneses’ success as mere circumstance, claiming that the first-year National University head coach simply stumbled into a winning formula — with a powerhouse core led by three-time MVP Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, and Lams Lamina already in place.
But those whispers have been silenced.
This narrative didn’t begin at NU — it followed Meneses from his stint in the Premier Volleyball League. There, despite steering Creamline to seven titles in 10 conferences and surpassing 100 career wins with stars like Alyssa Valdez, Michele Gumabao, Bernadeth Pons, and Tots Carlos, critics still insisted that he was more fortunate than formidable.
Yet on Wednesday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Meneses delivered a resounding statement — guiding the Lady Bulldogs to a successful title defense in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament, and claiming his first UAAP women’s crown in the process.
Much like his signature style with the Cool Smashers, Meneses kept his head down and tuned out the noise.
Instead, he focused on doing what he does best — developing talent, maximizing systems, and building a legacy.
“Wala naman. Sa’kin naman every training, every game, talagang trabaho namin ‘yun so nandito lang naman kami para mag-guide sa mga players. Wala naman sa’min kung anong masabi nila,” Meneses said after NU’s Game 2 sweep of De La Salle University.
“Basta pag binigyan ako ng trabaho, ‘yun lang naman ‘yung — every day na mapuntahan natin ‘yung team na hinahawakan natin, so ‘yun naman ‘yung pinaka-importante. Bahala na sila sa buhay nila.”
More than vindication, this title was personal.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
It was a full-circle moment for the 42-year-old tactician, who had long waited for this milestone.
Despite years of dominance in the pros, the UAAP championship eluded him — until now.
It had been 13 years since he first stepped into the collegiate coaching spotlight with Adamson in 2012.
“Syempre sobrang saya, nandito tayo sa stage na naglalaro sa Finals. So siyempre thankful sa mga players ng NU kasi first time ko nga (magkaroon ng UAAP title). Iyong chemistry medyo nabuo sa maiksing panahon. Iyon masaya. Hopefully, magkaroon ng mga kasunod, aside sa pro,” Meneses shared.
After coaching Adamson from 2012 to 2016, and serving as an assistant with Ateneo in Season 78, Meneses’ return to the UAAP with NU wasn’t just about filling in. It was about building something that could last — a culture of winning, trust, and quiet confidence.
He also acknowledged how dramatically the landscape of collegiate volleyball has changed since his early days — particularly the hyper-competitive recruitment process, which has become as intense as any on-court battle.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
That’s why, as NU bids farewell to its ‘Golden Generation’ of Solomon, Belen, Sheena Toring, and Erin Pangilinan, Meneses is already thinking steps ahead — laying the foundation for a new era of Lady Bulldogs.
With a steady grassroots pipeline, NU has promising talents in Vange Alinsug, Shaira Jardio, Arah Panique, Chams Maaya, Alexa Mata, Celine Marsh, and Kaye Bombita — and Meneses has fully committed to turning that potential into podium finishes.
“That time kasi medyo matagal na ‘yun eh, so ibang-iba ‘yung mga players ngayon. Talagang recruitment pa lang kailangan ka na mag-focus. ‘Yun ‘yung labanan ngayon eh. So hopefully, ngayong may player ang NU, mag-success sa mga susunod na taon,” he expressed.
“Before kasi talagang napakahirap, lalo na pagka school ang pinag-uusapan. So, sobrang iba na ngayon. So let’s see kung ano ‘yung mga mangyayari pa sa mga susunod na taon.”
From being labeled as “just lucky” to masterminding one of the most dominant UAAP campaigns in recent memory, Sherwin Meneses has proven once again: champions aren’t just born — they’re built.
