Sergio Veloso, the new head coach of Ateneo de Manila University, is targeting a return to the Final Four this coming UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament.
The Brazilian tactician believes that his team can improve from its dismal sixth-place finish last season when it was still handled by Oliver Almadro.
The Blue Eagles placed sixth on a 4-10 record, beating only the two schools twice under them in the standings – University of the Philippines and University of the East.
After that disappointing campaign, team leaders Faith Nisperos and Vanie Gandler turned professional in the Premier Volleyball League as well as Joan Narit and Kiara Cruz.
Then in July 2023, Ateneo announced that Veloso would take over the women’s program.
Barely half a year after his appointment, Veloso believes that with the UAAP’s double round-robin schedule, the Blue Eagles will fly high again on the taraflex.
“UAAP is not a short tournament like the Akari Cup. We have time to use the qualifying to improve and try to qualify. So our target is to stay in the Top Four,” said Veloso after Ateneo finished fourth in the pocket tournament hosted by Akari.
Even with a young set of players due to the others turning pro after last season, the Philippine men’s national team tactician likes what he sees in his team.
In the Akari Cup, the Blue Eagles got to size themselves up with PVL squads Akari and NXLED, UAAP’s Adamson University, and NCAA’s University of Perpetual Help and Arellano University.
Against the Chargers, whom they faced twice, Ateneo was able to snag a set in each game. It was also the case against the Chameleons in the battle for bronze before eventually running out of gas.
“It’s a good opportunity to improve because no matter the levels of the teams, when you play it’s an opportunity to [translate] what you practice or you learn in training into the game,” said Veloso as the Blue Eagles see much-needed court action before plunging into UAAP, which is scheduled to begin mid-February.
