The Ateneo Blue Eagles find themselves at a crossroads.
Gone are the days when veterans Lyann de Guzman and AC Miner anchored the Katipunan squad with poise and firepower.
With both standouts now plying their trade in the Premier Volleyball League — De Guzman with NXLED and Miner with ZUS Coffee — Ateneo has been forced to look inward, placing its hopes on an young but promising core.
Head coach Sergio Veloso, the Brazilian tactician tasked with steering the program forward, admits the road ahead is anything but smooth.
With injuries sidelining reliable hitters like Zel Tsunashima, Jlo Delos Santos, and Sobe Buena, Ateneo entered the 2025 V-League Collegiate Challenge fielding a roster that, while talented, remains raw in experience.
The result: three straight setbacks against powerhouse NCAA programs College of Saint Benilde, Mapua University, and Perpetual Help.
“You have a lot of things inside the system. Like cover, transition, defense position. You have a lot of things,” Veloso explained. “And some players, they don't know this because in high school, there's no need to play all the time in this situation. In college, it’s not enough. You need to play all the time.”
The learning curve has been steep for the Blue Eagles, many of whom — Jihan Chuatico, Dona de Leon, Ana Hermosura, Gena Hora, and Alex Montoro — hail from Bacolod Tay Tung High School, one of the country’s most successful grassroots volleyball programs. Now thrust into the UAAP pipeline, these rookies are learning that collegiate volleyball demands more than just clean serves and smart plays — it demands consistency, resilience, and adaptability to Veloso’s intricate system.
But on a humid Wednesday morning at Paco Arena, Ateneo finally showed signs of turning the page. Battling Arellano University, the Blue Eagles broke through with a four-set victory — a result that meant more than just numbers in the standings.
“They need to know how to play this situation. And today, most of the players played smart and we took a good victory,” Veloso said with relief. “But it’s a win not just because of the result. Now I can play better. No matter the other side, this is the most important. A lot of players played and bought into the system we’re building.”
Veloso’s philosophy hinges on accountability. He is notorious for his in-game shuffles, giving players multiple opportunities to prove themselves but also pulling them out just as quickly if they fail to deliver. For him, practice is only half the battle — confirmation must come under the bright lights of competition.
“It’s our rule in Ateneo. Show me in the practice and confirm in the match. If you don’t confirm in the match, you give an opportunity for the other player,” he stressed.
Mistakes, he noted, are inevitable. But the willingness to try — to embrace errors as part of growth — is what truly matters.
“Sometimes you try to do it and it’s a mistake. We are not perfect people and players. But this is the most important thing, when you try to do it. And we can see a lot of players now so happy because they played today with a good mindset.”
