Kianne Olango has made a name for herself as a proven winner in the high school ranks of the UAAP, beginning her career with a dynasty at National University-Nazareth School (NUNS).
Known for her exceptional play, Olango, along with her teammate Yesha Noceja, was instrumental in NUNS’s success, earning accolades as a UAAP champion and MVP.
In a surprising move, Olango and Noceja decided to transfer to University of the Philippines (UP), a team currently in the process of rebuilding. This decision has raised eyebrows, especially given the other universities that were vying for their talents.
Olango’s motivation to join the Fighting Maroons was clear: she wanted to instill the winning culture she developed at NUNS into UP’s volleyball program.
“Gusto ko dalhin yung winning culture na natutunan ko sa NUNS kasi isang magandang school ang UP,” she explained after UP’s sweep of University of the East, marking their third win in the V-League Women’s Collegiate Challenge.
Beyond her desire to make a significant impact on the court, Olango is also eager to experience a new environment and benefit from UP’s high-quality education.
“UP talaga ang unang lumapit sa akin and nagisip-isip lang talaga ako, kasi gusto ko rin makasubok ng new environment,” she added.
(C) V-League Images
Fighting Maroons head coach Oliver Almadro is proud not only of securing the two NUNS stars but also of observing how Olango and other UP rookies are adapting to collegiate volleyball.
Olango has been instrumental in leading the team, contributing 14 points with 11 attacks and three blocks in their latest victory.
Noceja also played a key role, adding eight points.
“Good thing that games like this na high-level competition, napapalaban talaga sila, so they’re knowing their roles and tumataas ang confidence,” Almadro noted.
He emphasized that the team is progressively gaining confidence and addressing the challenges presented by high-level competition.
“What’s important is we’re gaining confidence and we’re slowly doing what we’re needed to do lalo na sa mga high-level games,” he added.
As Olango continues to integrate into the Fighting Maroons’ system, her experience and leadership are expected to play a crucial role in shaping the team’s future success.
