Head coach Odjie Mamon took full responsibility after University of Santo Tomas’ hopes of ending a 14-year title drought were dashed by a familiar rival—National University—on Wednesday afternoon at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Entering the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Tournament fueled by the sting of back-to-back runner-up finishes, the Golden Spikers revamped their roster to keep pace with perennial powerhouses such as the Bulldogs, the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, and the De La Salle University Green Spikers.
Still anchored by core players like two-time UAAP MVP Josh Ybanez, Gboy de Vega, Poy Colinares, Dux Yambao, and Jay Rack De La Noche, UST bolstered its Season 87 campaign with key additions in libero Edriel Alabar, Al-Bukharie Sali, Alche Gupiteo, and JJ Macam.
Despite Mamon’s belief that this was the strongest UST roster in the school’s history, the Golden Spikers once again fell short of the title, extending their championship drought to 14 years. Mamon took accountability for what he described as his inability to fully harness the team’s potential.
The Golden Spikers settled for bronze after suffering a heartbreaking straight-sets loss to NU, 23-25, 23-25, 23-25, in a do-or-die match for the last Finals berth and the chance to challenge the Tamaraws in the best-of-three championship series.
“I stand by my statement na best lineup ito ng Golden Spikers ever, hindi ko lang napolish yung potential ng boys to the max. Bitter ako kasi may expectations kami — tinanggal ko yung condition na ‘manage your expectations’ unlike noong two previous years na nag-Finals kami,” Mamon told reporters.
“Start ng program, manage your expectations. This year, wala. Parang play lang para makaabot ulit kami sa Finals and eventually yung championship. Mahirap magsalita kapag talo ‘eh. I don’t want to make any excuses. Pag-uusapan pa namin kung how to close out the season,” he added.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
While this bronze medal finish — UST’s first third-place showing since Season 77 in 2015 — may seem like a step down from their two consecutive silver medals in Seasons 85 and 86, Mamon emphasized the adversity his team faced to reach the podium.
In their opening match of Season 87 against FEU, the Golden Spikers lost Ybanez to a Grade 2 right ankle sprain, sidelining their star for the next four games.
Despite that setback, UST remained resilient, igniting a five-game winning streak before ending the first round with a four-set loss to NU.
“Hindi ako disappointed sa performance or doon sa results namin considering na yung main gunner namin missed four or five matches. But the podium finish, sa akin lang, bitter. I take up the responsibility naman,” Mamon said.
With a promising but ultimately unfulfilled Season 87 campaign behind them, Mamon promised that fans could expect a retooled and more compact UST men’s volleyball team next season.
De La Noche is currently the only player whose return for Season 88 remains uncertain. Regardless, UST will continue to rely on its key veterans and incoming talent from its grassroots program—particularly from the Junior Golden Spikers, who recently won the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ Volleyball title.
Leading the next wave of Golden Spikers is Paolo Medina, who capped his high school career as the fourth-best scorer with 189 total points and ranked sixth in spiking success at 38.07%. He also placed in the top 10 in both digging and receiving.
“I have 26 players in the pool. Sa playing years kasi, lahat yan third playing year, yung matatanda at senior. Pero may graduating na sa academics, Jay Rack [De La Noche] is one of them. Si Jay Rack lang talaga. Pag-uusapan pa namin at pagpplanuhan pa namin on who to invite back, but definitely, may revamp. Yung recruits namin na galing din sa [UST] boys’ volleyball team,” Mamon concluded.
#WATCH: Jay Rack de La Noche, Gboy de Vega, and Coach Odjie Mamon reflect on UST’s rollercoaster season—one that began with hope, but once again ended in heartbreak at the hands of NU
@ernesttuazon /Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason87 pic.twitter.com/DHVtXB5iFr
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) May 7, 2025
