(CNN Philippines, July 4) — The Ateneo de Manila University women’s volleyball team has named Sergio Veloso as its new head coach.
Veloso will replace Oliver Almadro, who has been at the helm for the Katipunan-based squad since 2018.
Veloso, who also serves as the Philippine national men’s volleyball team head coach, was formally introduced Monday during a courtesy call on the university president, Fr. Roberto Yap, SJ.
“Coach Sergio takes over the head coach role for the Women’s Volleyball Team and brings with him more than 37 years of successfully forming programs and coaching young and professional volleyball players in Brazil, Maldives, and Bahrain,” the school said in a statement.
Almadro steered Ateneo to the UAAP crown in Season 81, but missed the Final Four last season after finishing sixth — its worst performance in recent years — with a 4-10 win-loss record.
Ateneo also announced that Babes Castillo will be the head coach of the boys’ and girls’ volleyball teams.
Castillo is best credited for being the architect of National University’s (NU) girls’ volleyball dynasty in the juniors rank. He also coached the NU Lady Bulldogs in UAAP Season 80.
This will be the first time that Ateneo will be fielding a team in girls’ volleyball after it decided to accept female students in its basic education starting next school year.
The Ateneo seniors team has been recruiting from reputable high schools with a great volleyball program such as NU Nazareth School, University of Santo Tomas, and De La Salle Santiago Zobel in previous years.
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