Coming off a historic rookie season, Shaina Nitura feels no pressure, trusting that Adamson University’s deep and talented roster will have her back as they chase glory in the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Volleyball Tournament.
Nitura enters her sophomore year riding the momentum of a record-breaking first season.
The 5-foot-9 spiker from Cainta set a new single-game rookie scoring mark with 33 points, broke the UAAP women’s volleyball single-game scoring record with 38 points, and shattered the season-scoring record across all divisions with 371 points. She also became the first Lady Falcon to earn Rookie of the Year honors.
With a capable supporting cast, Nitura says she feels no pressure to carry the scoring load this year. She is confident that holdovers Red Bascon and Barbie Jamili, along with rookies Abby Segui, Joy Aseo, and Lana Barrera, will help her and Francis Mordi share the offensive burden.
Add to that the reliable middle blocker duo of Princess Dote and Lhouiz Tuddao, and Adamson now boasts weapons across the court.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Actually, gumaan naman po siya para sa amin, lalo na sa team, kasi collective effort po siya. May ma-off man, sabihin natin na ma-off ako, meron na talagang siguradong sasalo sa’kin kasi, as you can see, kumpleto talaga kami,” said the 21-year-old outside hitter.
“Kung sakaling ‘di gumana si Abby, we have opposite. Kung sakaling ‘di ako gumana, meron kaming Lana [Barrera], meron kaming Red [Bascon], Joy [Aseo]—yung rookie namin—and Ate Barbie [Jamili].”
The team’s depth and offensive balance were on full display in their season opener, as Nitura and her supporting cast powered the Lady Falcons to a convincing 25-19, 25-18, 25-10 win over Ateneo de Manila University at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday.
Nitura led the way with a game-high 16 points, while Mordi finished as the second-best scorer with 14 markers. Segui impressed in her UAAP debut with eight points, and Dote and Tuddao contributed seven and six points, respectively.
“Deep bench talaga ang meron kami, so no pressure pa rin naman sa akin, sa team, lalo kasi young team, so marami pa yung puwedeng mangyari,” Nitura said.
“Fino-focus lang talaga namin yung paangat namin at mag-focus kami na mabuo kami. Over time naman, darating na ‘yun kung ibibigay ni Lord at kung makita niya na deserve na naman na makuha yung dapat naming makuha.”
#WATCH: GUMAAN SIYA 🐦
Shaina Nitura believes there is less pressure for her to score in #UAAPSeason88 with the addition of Abby Segui and other rookies 🏐#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/w1F7rXfYlA
📹 @jonashdcd /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/4S9WFjaTFU
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) February 15, 2026
