Bocboc back as UP spikers’ mentor
BENSON Bocboc regains his old post as head coach of the UP Fighting Maroons starting Season 89 women’s volleyball tournament in January.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF UP
BENSON Bocboc regains his old post as head coach of the UP Fighting Maroons starting Season 89 women’s volleyball tournament in January.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF UP
University of the Philippines (UP) appointed Benson Bocboc back as head coach of its rebuilding women’s volleyball team for the coming University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 89.
Bocboc has returned to call the shots for the Fighting Maroons after Italian tactician Fabio Menta decided to retire after one season at the helm.
It will be a challenging comeback stint for Bocboc after sliding down as deputy in the previous season.
He will inherit a young squad which has lost most of its seniors at the close of Season 88, including longtime pillars Irah Jaboneta, Joan Monares, and multi-awarded Middle Blocker and Alas Pilipinas standout Nina Ytang.
The former long-time De La Salle University Lady Spikers assistant coach handled UP back in Season 87 and delivered a promising fifth-place finish with a 6-8 win-loss record.
“Coach Boc proved himself to be a capable coach when he set us up for success in Season 87. We have our full trust and confidence in him to replicate that now that we’re entering a new era,” UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development director Bo Perasol said.
Perasol has put his faith in the capability of Bocboc to improve the Fighting Maroons after a 5-9 slate and a sixth-place finish in Season 88.
However, Bocboc won’t have the seasoned players he handled before and key spiker Casiey Dongallo, who continues to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
But Bocboc is unfazed.
“No expectations, no pressure for the meantime. But what’s sure here with UP is that the team will give a good fight,” said Bocboc, who is concurrently an assistant coach for Farm Fresh in the Premier Volleyball League.
Bocboc has the full support of the management and stakeholders, including sponsor Frank Lao and his Strong Group Athletics in Season 89.
The Fighting Maroons have a motivated and hungry young crew ready to turn their fortunes around for next year’s volleyball wars led by Kianne Olango, Jelai Gajero, Bienne Bansil, Jaz Manguilomotan and Julia de Leon.
Bocboc is already hard at work in preparing the squad for the 2026 Shakey’s Super League Pre-season Unity Cup starting next month.
