Dr. Obet Vital, Casiey Dongallo, three others join UP

c/o OASD

The shoe has officially been dropped, as the University of the Philippines through its Office for Athletics and Sports Development, announced that Dr. Obet Vital and Casiey Dongallo have committed to the program.

Vital served as an assistant to Jerry Yee in the University of the East, eventually taking on interim head coaching duties when Yee was suspended by the league last season.

He also served as the mentor of California Academy For Lilminius, where he coached Dongallo at the high school level before they moved up in the collegiate ranks with the Lady Warriors.

Now with the Fighting Maroons, Vital will serve as an assistant to newly-installed head coach Benson Bocboc, while also overseeing the grassroots program and the university's training pool.

The Cebuano native set a record for points scored in a single season for what turned out to be her lone season at UE with 291 points, and she will play an integral role for the Lady Maroons when she becomes eligible next season.

Also joining Dongallo in serving residency this coming season are her former teammates at CAL who committed to UE: Kizzie Madriaga, Jelai Gajero and Jenalyn Umayam. Madriaga served as the team captain, whilst Gajero missed out on last season due to injury and was set to play a key role for the Lady Warriors this season.

These moves are aimed to bolster a program that won just one game last season, and has hopes of making the postseason for the first time since 2017 when the team still had Tots Carlos and Isa Molde. Backed by Frank Lao and his Strong Group Athletics program, they have already made some inroads for the upcoming season, securing commitments from incoming freshmen Kianne Olango, Yesha Noceja, and Bienne Bansil, snapping up Kassy Doering, who impressed fans as a soon-to-be one-and-done standout during the preseason, and tapping Alohi Robins-Hardy as an assistant whilst she waits for her eventual PVL debut.

From the incumbents, Nina Ytang is coming off a campaign where she became the second-best middle blocker, while Nica Celis and Irah Jaboneta provide veteran leadership for a young side.

Last season's head coach and now the university's program director for volleyball Oliver Almadro says about these recent events, "Their arrival is a sign that Mr. Frank Lao, SGA, and OASD are really sincere in developing the UP volleyball program. Their addition to our roster, together with our recruits this year, will definitely make our team a contender in the following years."

OASD Director Bo Perasol adds, "It's about time na palakasin din natin ang volleyball teams natin because they have great potential to be another source for unity ng UP community. We welcome the entry of Doc Obet and his players 'di lang para palakasin ang WVT, but to also show that we're turning serious about competing in volleyball."