Alyssa Valdez, Marck Espejo repeat as UAAP Season 78 Volleyball MVPs & other awardees

Valdez, Espejo repeat as Volleyball MVPs

by rick olivares

Alyssa Valdez is the UAAP’s Most Valuable Player for the Women’s Division for a third year in the row. The graduating Ateneo Lady Eagle is also the league’s Best Scorer and Server, making it also a three-peat of sorts as she has won in all three categories the past three seasons. In Season 75, her sophomore season, she was the Best Scorer. 

While the individual awards are huge for Valdez, she hopes her team can bounce back in Game 2 of the UAAP Finals to force a Game 3. “The individual awards are nice but a team award is better because everyone can celebrate and cherish that,” said Valdez of her solo efforts vis-a-vis a collective goal. “A three-peat will be wonderful but all we can do is go out and give it out best.

Other Women’s Division Awardees

Best Spiker - Jaja Santiago (National University)

Best Blocker - Mary Joy Baron (De La Salle University)

Best Digger - Dawn Macandili (De La Salle University)

Best Receiver - Dawn Macandili (De La Salle University)

Best Server - Kim Fajardo (De La Salle University)

Rookie of the Year - Isa Molde (University of the Philippines)

Over at the Men’s Division, Ateneo makes it a twin kill for repeat season MVP awards as the phenomenal Marck Espejo is also league MVP. He also bagged the Best Spiker and Best Server awards.

Best Scorer - Raymark Woo (De La Salle University) 

Best Blocker - Edward Camposano (University of the East)

Best Digger - Ricky Marcos (National University)

Best Setter - Esmilzo Polvorosa (Ateneo de Manila University)

Best Receiver - Rikko Marius Marmeto (Far Eastern University)

Rookie of the Year - James Natividad (National University)

Ateneo defeated NU in four sets to take a one-game lead and hope to close out the championship series in two matches.

The next day of the volleyball finals in on Wednesday.