Determined to steer Adamson University back into the upper echelons of UAAP women’s volleyball, promising outside hitter Shaina Nitura is channeling the invaluable experience she gained from competing with Alas Pilipinas Women.
The Season 87 Rookie of the Year is ready to translate her recent international breakthroughs into a renewed push for the Lady Falcons.
The past few months have been a whirlwind for Nitura, who marked her debut with the Nationals by helping secure a historic silver medal at the 2025 AVC Women’s Volleyball Nations Cup last June — an unprecedented feat for the Philippine squad.
After a well-deserved break — sitting out the final roster for the 2025 VTV Cup — she returned with a bang, playing a crucial role in Alas Women’s consecutive third-place finishes in the Southeast Asia V.League legs held in Thailand and Vietnam.
“I think I’ll use everything na natutunan ko doon sa Alas ay dadalhin ko dito sa Adamson, lalo’t na applicable siya sa amin ngayon,” Nitura shared, fresh off an explosive 28-point performance that powered Adamson to a grueling five-set win over Far Eastern University in the 2025 V-League Women’s Collegiate Challenge.
“Masaya, sobrang saya. Kasi doon, hindi lang school na yung linalaban niyo, kundi yung bansa niyo na. Sa lahat ng dinami-dami ng players, kami yung napili para i-represent yung Philippines.”
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Beyond the medals and matches, Nitura treasures the opportunity to learn from seasoned veterans such as Alas Women captain Jia de Guzman, spiker Eya Laure, defensive stalwart Dawn Catindig, and Brazilian head coach Jorge de Brito.
The Cainta, Rizal native also relished facing top regional talents, including Vietnam’s Tran Thi Thanh Thuy and Nguyen Thi Bich Tuyen, as well as Thailand’s SEA V.League first leg MVP, Pimpichaya Kokram.
“Sobrang dami ko natututunan talaga doon sa mga nakakasama ko na veterans, pati yung mga naglalaro na nakakalaban namin sa ibang bansa. Sobrang galing nila, wala ako masabi,” Nitura admitted,
Asked about the most important lesson she took away from her early months with the national team, Nitura emphasized patience — an attribute she believes is vital for the young Lady Falcons roster to climb back into title contention.
With a squad featuring bright talents like Fhei Sagaysay, Abegail Segui, and MG Del Moral, Adamson’s path forward hinges on cultivating composure and resilience.
“Siguro yung pasensya talaga, kasi doon talaga ay hindi automatic na mapapatay ko yung bola. Siguro yon yung ituturo ko or ishe-share ko sa kanila na kailangan nila magkaroon ng mahabang pasensya, kasi kung sino yung mayroon na mahabang pasensya, ‘yon din naman ang big possibility na manalo,” the 20-year-old outside hitter explained.
Despite the growing expectations following her record-breaking UAAP rookie season and newfound status on the national stage, Nitura remains grounded and focused on steady growth.
“No pressure pa rin talaga sa akin. I don’t always have to perform like an ace kasi kahit sinong player naman ay kaya maglaro ng A-game nila every day. There’s no pressure talaga sa akin, pero ngayon, since marami nangyayari, ang pinaka-importante sa akin ay yung recovery,” she said.
“I’ll just do my job, yung pinapagawa ng coaches, para ma-achieve yung gusto ng team.”
