Even with three key contributors from its UAAP Season 87 Final Four run moving on to the pros, Tin Ubaldo refuses to view the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Volleyball Tournament as a rebuilding year for Far Eastern University.
For her, the Lady Tamaraws’ story is far from over — it is simply the next chapter in their pursuit of a record-extending 30th UAAP women’s volleyball championship.
“I feel like hindi kami rebuilding. Kasi despite umalis yung tatlong mga seniors, yung mga pumasok sa core, dati na rin silang nandun. So familiar na rin sila sa system,” Ubaldo told reporters during the tournament’s press conference Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
FEU will open Season 88 without Asis, Tagaod, and Monares — all of whom were drafted in the 2025 Premier Volleyball League to Galeries Tower, Akari, and Farm Fresh — after guiding the Lady Tamaraws to back-to-back Final Four appearances in Seasons 86 and 87.
Their departures shifted pre-season attention toward other strong contenders, including University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle University, Adamson University, and even defending champion National University, despite the post-Bella Belen and Alyssa Solomon era.
However, within Morayta, belief remains strong that FEU can compete with any of these teams. Led by Ubaldo, Gerz Petallo, Lovely Lopez, Jaz Ellarina, and Cla Loresco, the Lady Tamaraws enter Season 88 as a battle-tested squad.
This core helped FEU secure a runner-up finish in the 2025 V-League Collegiate Challenge and a bronze medal in the 2025 Shakey’s Super League Pre-Season Unity Cup.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“For me, hindi kami nahihirapan mag-start ulit. Kasi nga, yung mga natira, very familiar na rin sa system. Ang ginawa na lang namin is nilevel up namin yung system, for now, for this season,” the 23-year-old playmaker said.
Beyond her continued growth in leadership, the rise of Petallo, Lopez, Ellarina, and Faida Bakanke adds depth, while Loresco brings invaluable international experience.
Over the summer, Loresco represented the Philippines with Alas Pilipinas Women, earning a historic silver medal in the 2025 AVC Women’s Nation Cup and a bronze in the second leg of the 2025 SEA V.League.
“Actually, good addition, lalo si Cla from Alas. Yung mga natutunan niya doon, na-apply niya rin sa amin, or may natutulong naman sa kanila. Tapos yung mga key players na iba si Lovely, Gerz, given na may skills, pero yung leadership and maturity nila talagang nag-grow. So, yun siguro yung makakatulong sa amin this season,” Ubaldo shared.
With an intact core that showed promise during the off-season, Ubaldo’s sights are set solely on the championship in her swan song Season 88.
Determined to avoid another triple-tie in the standings at the end of the eliminations, the Kings’ Montessori School product urged her teammates to maintain consistency throughout the double-round robin and to double their effort in pursuit of their ultimate goal.
Last season, La Salle, UST, and FEU all finished the eliminations with identical 9-5 records. However, the Lady Tamaraws fell to the fourth seed due to the lowest quotient among the three teams.
“I expect this season na talagang makuha namin yung goal namin. Kasi last season, diba nga nag-fall short kami, parang triple tie. Pero kami yung pinakamababang quotient,” Ubaldo explained.
“Kaya, doon po kami very nanghinayang, kasi parang points na lang yung paglalabanan, and then kami pa yung last doon. So, ngayon, talagang mag-work hard kami para mapunta sa FEU.”
The Lady Tamaraws will open Season 88 against the Lady Archers on Valentine’s Day, February 14, still at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
#WATCH: NI-LEVEL UP NAMIN ANG SYSTEM NAMIN 🏐
With the improvements in their young guns, Tin Ubaldo believes FEU will soar to greater heights in #UAAPSeason88#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/PRoVMwc0ym
📹 @ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/5uYFMuocex
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) February 11, 2026
