Regine Diego has made it clear: National University is not in rebuilding mode despite the departure of former stars Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon.
Diego, who took over as the Lady Bulldogs head coach last September, assured during the UAAP Season 88 Volleyball Press Conference on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena that NU remains focused on achieving a rare three-peat.
This will be Diego’s first head coaching role in the UAAP collegiate division, having previously led the NU Nazareth School team in Season 82, where they swept the tournament. She also coached the now-defunct F2 Logistics in the Premier Volleyball League in 2023.
“Well, of course, there will always be pressure here in the UAAP — it’s the NU team. Everything has challenges, and everything is pressure for me. But I just want to see them play their best,” said Diego.
“So as much as we can, we will do our best to defend the title. Rebuilding should not be on our minds; we should play as champions pa rin.”
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Although Belen and Solomon, along with Sheena Toring and Erin Pangilinan, have moved on to the professional ranks, the Lady Bulldogs remain a formidable squad, led by Season 87 co-Finals MVPs Vange Alinsug and Shaira Jardio.
Setter Camilla Lamina will also spearhead the team, which still includes Alexa Mata, Chams Maaya, and Arah Panique. NU has also strengthened its lineup with the addition of Season 87 High School Girls’ MVP Sam Cantada, along with NUNS products Harlyn Serneche and Denesse Daylisan.
While Belen’s impact on the NU volleyball program was truly generational, Diego noted that reaching that level required immense hard work — and the current crop of Lady Bulldogs is ready to undergo the same process to remain champions.
“Well, there are a lot of girls that came in this year. Kapag may umaalis, meron talagang dumarating na bago. We just have to work as a team,” said Diego.
“We have to gel because Bella’s time is tapos na, and ‘yung Bella era na yon — matagal siya naging proseso. So again, we start from scratch, but we don’t start as new; we start pa rin as champions.”
