New National University (NU) head coach Regine Diego gets a chance to get her feet wet after taking over the coaching reins from Sherwin Meneses.

The 2025 Shakey’s Super League Preseason Unity Cup will serve as a testing ground for Diego as she tries to steer the Lady Bulldogs to a four-peat in the league’s centerpiece tournament.

“This is going to be our rebuilding era,” Diego said during the competition’s press conference on Wednesday in her first public appearance at the helm of NU.

“We can’t always be on top, but we will do our best and try to defend our title.”

Diego will be put under the microscope in the pre-season tilt, unfurling on 20 September, as part of the Lady Bulldogs’ buildup for a three-peat in the University Athletic Association (UAAP) Season 88 early next year.

She will be facing a tough task of maintaining NU’s status as one of the country’s most successful collegiate volleyball programs despite the departure of stars Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, Sheena Toring and Erin Pangilinan.

Meneses parted ways with the school after just a year of service and steering NU to a UAAP repeat last May.

The decorated mentor, who has won seven Premier Volleyball League (PVL) titles for Creamline, including a historic grand slam last year, last called the shots for the Lady Bulldogs a month ago when NU won the Davao Leg of the SSL National Invitationals.

Diego, who is making her first NU women’s team head coaching gig after serving as deputy for Norman Miguel from 2019 to 2020.