Six named as Collegiate Players of the Year

Players of the Year

The best of the best in the collegiate scene is set to honored this coming June 17, as the Collegiate Press Corps holds its upcoming Annual Awards Night, presented by the San Miguel Corporation at venue partner, the Discovery Suites Manila in Pasig City.

Six student-athletes are set to be bestown the honor of being Players of Year by the body, which is composed of the scribes covering the UAAP and NCAA.

Kevin Quiambao leads the cast as the Men's Basketball Player of the Year, having helped lead La Salle in its redemption tour, capped off by the league Most Valuable Player winning the UAAP Season 86 Finals MVP in a thrilling three-game matchup against the University of the Philippines.

Building on last year's efforts in honoring the best of the best in women's volleyball, the CPC has named Bella Belen and Cloanne Mondonedo as its third set of Players of the Year.

Belen claims her second nod after helping National University reclaim the UAAP title, while in the process of winning her second Most Valuable Player award in three seasons, becoming the fifth player in its history to be honored as such more than once.

Mondoñedo joins fellow teammates Mycah Go and Gayle Pascual as its awardees for the NCAA, having helped the College of Saint Benilde extend their winning run to forty straight games en route to the Lady Blazers winning their third straight title. In its 99th season, Cloanne became the first setter to be named as the league's MVP.

The CPC is also set to make its own history this year by having its first-ever POTY awardees for Women's Basketball and Men's Volleyball.

Set to be its inaugural Women's Basketball Player of the Year is Kent Pastrana from the University of Santo Tomas, who led the Growling Tigresses to two championships this season, claiming both 3x3 and 5x5 titles for the Espana-based institution.

In both cases, Pastrana dismissed the challenge of National University in the finals, helping end UST's seventeen-year title drought in 5x5, while successfully defending their 3x3 crown.

For Men's Volleyball, Joshua Retamar of National University and Louie Ramirez of the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta are the first-time honorees.

In his final season, Retamar helped lock in the Bulldogs' fourth straight title, while being named as the Finals MVP for last couple of seasons.

Ramirez, on the other hand, maintained the Altas' dominance in the NCAA, earning him consecutive MVP honors.

The Annual Awards Night is also backed by the Philippine Sports Commission and also has Jockey serving as a minor sponsor.