Amid mounting criticism following Ateneo de Manila University’s six-game slide to start the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Women’s Volleyball Tournament, Brazilian head coach Sergio Veloso made one thing clear: the Blue Eagles will continue to block out outside noise and keep fighting.
Ateneo finally broke through the win column with a sweep of the cellar-dwelling University of the East. Veloso acknowledged the clamor from the Blue Eagles’ faithful on social media regarding the program’s struggles in the post-pandemic era of UAAP women’s volleyball.
Despite these challenges, the third-year Ateneo mentor preached patience, emphasizing the potential of a roster that includes rookie duo Ana Hermosura and Donna de Leon, sophomore middle blocker Zel Tsunashima, and other key players.
Veloso urged the team to give everything on the court regardless of circumstances.
“I have this word with the players: you need to fight, you need to give 110-percent, no matter if at the moment you do not feel well, like today,” Veloso said Saturday afternoon at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Veloso encouraged his players to tune out negativity and focus on maintaining a positive environment within the team, aiming to turn their sluggish 1–6, first-round record into a breakthrough in the second round.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
In the next round, Ateneo will rely on the continued growth of Chuatico (13 points), Hermosura (11 points), De Leon (10 points), and Tsunashima (10 points), who all shone in the Blue Eagles’ victory over the Lady Warriors.
“For me, it’s simple. I respect everyone, okay? But the most important things for me are the players and our team. I support the players and the team all the time. If outside there are bad words or any kind of negative situation, I don’t care about it. I respect it, okay? But they do not know what happens inside,” Veloso explained.
“If you want to stay on the other side, that’s not our problem. I told the players, don’t listen to it. Because if you start listening to other people, that brings bad energy and it’s not good for you. We need to play with positive energy all the time. Here, our whole team stays for Ateneo. Ateneo is most important for us. I don’t care about who stays on the other side.”
Despite Ateneo’s struggles in the first round, Veloso noted that the slow start must be understood in the context of a young roster still trying to find its rhythm against strong contenders like National University and De La Salle University.
Looking ahead, Veloso placed his full trust in the Blue Eagles’ youthful roster to stage a stunning turnaround in the second round and earn a return trip to the Final Four for the first time since Season 84 (2022).
“The other players are sophomores or freshmen. It’s challenging because the opposing side has a lot of talented players, including national team members. I am so, so happy because our players fight all the time. This is one of our purposes. No matter if the opponent wins or if our team wins, we need to fight for victory,” Veloso shared.
“Sometimes, I understand that many fans speak negatively, but I support the players, I support the team, and we understand the situation. Our team knows how hard we work in practice. This is the time to transfer what they learned into the game. That is the purpose. The purpose is not only practice, practice, practice. The purpose is when you play. I am confident, not only for the future, but for this season too. In the second round, we can push more and have a big fight.”
#WATCH: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE PLAYERS 🦅
Sergio Veloso addresses Ateneo critics, saying the team focuses on itself, not the outside noise 🏐 #ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/N1SuLozO3I
📹 @ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason88 pic.twitter.com/p7WfIKjqy6
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) March 14, 2026
