The University of the Philippines (UP) women’s volleyball team has bolstered its roster ahead of the UAAP Season 86 volleyball tournament.
The Fighting Maroons announced that Bacolod Tay Tung High School's Jothea Mae Ramos and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu's Joanneesse Gabrielle Perez committed to play for UP and will head to Diliman.
"The UP volleyball program and the UP community are really happy for the commitment of these two high school standouts. Aside from their talents, they will bring their aggressiveness and leadership to our UP WVT," said UPWVT program director Oliver Almadro, who has taken over the helm at UP.
The 5-foot-9 Ramos led Western Visayas to the 2023 Palarong Pambansa and was hailed as tournament MVP, while the 5-foot-8 Perez was instrumental in the Magis Eagles 2022 CESAFI Championship run and a finals appearance in 2023.
The duo, who also made a name for themselves at the 2022-23 Rebisco Volleyball League, are looking to finally end UP’s Final Four draught, with their last appearance coming in Season 79.
They are expected to flex their talent starting Season 86.
"Itong mga ganitong recruit natin for our volleyball teams, we're hoping they're just the first of many,” said UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development (OASD) director Bo Perasol.
“We have full faith in coach O na gaganda ang performance natin because of how he'll oversee the development of all our veterans and rookies," added the former UP men’s basketball coach regarding the women’s team that is now backed by sports patron Frank Lao’s Strong Group Athletics.
