When you Google “Ateneo Volleyball Team”, the top result would be the Ateneo Blue Eagles Wikipedia entry. Under the subheading Volleyball, it briefly describes the team’s “successes in the early 1980s” and mentioned some more “won titles” both in the UAAP and NCAA Volleyball tournaments. In summary, the entry seems to imply that the Ateneo Volleyball glory days were back in the 1980’s. I bet all the great Ateneo players back then have grandchildren by now.

As a former Blue Eagle Spiker, I must admit the entry tells the truth or at least a shadow of it. During my college time, we won all our UAAP games… by heart!!! That’s for every single game against the other universities. Yup, Ateneo (Men’s) team was at the bottom rankings for maybe 5 straight years if I remember correctly. (At least we’re consistent). That’s how really really good the other teams were at that time. But hey, at least my high school days were worth remembering. As the Wikipedia entry points out, the Ateneo Blue Eaglets were “always in the Championship round from 1982-2004”. Halikinu-kiniki-niya!!

Interestingly, the entry also lists some “notable players”. And they are:

Choy Cojuangco, Louie Gepuela, Rasty Rastrullo, Iris Ortega – Former, Issa Bautista - Youngest player to be in the Beach Volleyball Philippine National Team, Currently in the RP Team, Amelia Divina Gracia-Guanco - MVP of the Philippine National Team who won Gold in the 1993 South East Asian Games, Former RP Team Member, Benjo Puertollano - Long-range sharp shooter, Chandra Arceo - Former RP Team Member, Patrick Parreño, Sherwin Malonzo, Tyrone Ongpauco, Rosemarie Peralta-Prochina - Former RP Team Member, Wynnette Bernardo, Kay De Guzman, Katrina Marie Dilag, Zenaida Sison-Chavez - Former RP Team Member, Cecille Tabuena - Former RP Team Member.

Very notable indeed. Why do I get the feeling that the names I highlighted were the people who created the Wikipedia entry. Ha! Here’s a few more Ateneo volleyball players who I think are also worth noting:

Jose Miguel Cameña Aquino – player/coach
Carlo Singson – small but terrible
Ronald Margallo – the MVP

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