For the second consecutive season, Josh Ybanez of University of Santo Tomas has been recognized as the top student-athlete in the UAAP Men’s Volleyball Tournament.
The 5-foot-7 spiker from General Santos City was bestowed with the Season 86 Most Valuable Player award on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Ybanez, a sophomore, garnered 89.643 statistical points, securing a decisive victory for the top individual honor in the league.
He led the league as its top scorer, concluding the elimination round with 329 points, comprised of 303 attacks (ranking #1), 15 aces (#2), and 11 blocks.
Additionally, he demonstrated exceptional defensive skills as the league’s best receiver (62.84% efficiency) and the sixth-best digger (1.66 digs/set).
Ybanez marks the first back-to-back season MVP in the league since Ateneo de Manila University’s Marck Espejo achieved a rare ‘5-of-5’ from Seasons 76-80.
“First off all, gusto kong pasalamatan si God for this award because I knowSsiya ang nag-guide sa amin all throughout this season. Gusto kong pasalamatan ang UST alumni, UST community, and the UST itself for being our backbone, for providing all our needs as an athlete,” expressed Ybanez.
“To those people behind this event, thank you so much for making it all possible. Thank you for giving exposure to Philippine men’s volleyball.”
Furthermore, Ybanez clinched his second consecutive 1st Best Outside Spiker award after amassing 344 points for the position.
(C) Julius Domondon/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
The 2nd Best Outside Spiker for the season was graduating National University stalwart Nico Almendras, who accumulated 270 points.
Almendras, the Season 81 Rookie of the Year, ranked sixth in scoring in the league with 213 points, achieved through 193 attacks (ranking 3rd in spiking efficiency at 46.84%), 17 blocks, and three aces.
Additionally, he secured the second-best receiver position with an efficiency of 60.49%.
(C) Julius Domondon/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
Almendras’ batchmate, Joshua Retamar, also secured his second consecutive Best Setter citation. He amassed a remarkable 269 positional points, stemming from his league-leading 5.67 excellent tosses per set.
Retamar also dominated as the league’s best server, averaging 0.45 aces per set.
Forming the Best Middle Blocker duo are Far Eastern University’s Martin Bugaoan and De La Salle University’s Nathaniel Del Pilar.
(C) Julius Domondon/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
Bugaoan, a third-year middle blocker who clinched his second Best MB award, led the list with 213 positional points, topping the league in attack efficiency at 53.76% and ranking sixth in blocks with 0.58 per set.
(C) Julius Domondon/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
Del Pilar, a sophomore blocker, concluded with 175 points, securing the second spot in the best blocker rankings with 0.75 per set.
(C) Julius Domondon/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
FEU sophomore Dryx Saavedra earned the title of Best Opposite Spiker after concluding the elimination round with 165 positional points. Saavedra ranked ninth in scoring in the league with 176 points and held the position of the second most efficient spiker at 48.15%.
Saavedra and La Salle’s JM Ronquillo tied with 165 points, but Saavedra’s position as the best attacking opposite served as the tiebreaker.
(C) Julius Domondon/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
Rounding out the All-UAAP Season 86 Team was La Salle’s Nard Guerrero, who was honored as the Best Libero with 211 positional points.
Guerrero, a sophomore, ranked as the second-best digger in the league with 2.67 per set and the third-best receiver with a 57.38% efficiency rate.
(C) Julius Domondon/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
NU’s Jade Disquitado was crowned the Rookie of the Year.
(C) Julius Domondon/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
