Jamike Jarin leaves San Beda to coach NU

MANILA, Philippines – Jamike Jarin has said his goodbyes to the San Beda Red Lions and is set to take over as new coach of the National University Bulldogs, a source confirmed to Rappler on Tuesday, December 13.

The source close to the situation said Jarin informed the team he was leaving Tuesday morning. Some players were said to have expressed sadness while others wished Jarin well.

Several reports also surfaced with multiple sources confirming Jarin’s move to NU.

There has been no official announcement from Jarin yet, though it is expected to come soon, according to the same source who requested anonymity. NU officials have yet to make an announcement as well.

Jarin will be replacing coach Eric Altamirano, who handled the Bulldogs for 6 seasons and steered them to their first UAAP title in 60 years and made them perennial contenders in recent years.

Altamirano resigned in late November and NU officially welcomed applications for a new head coach on Wednesday, December 7. The school’s athletics director Chito Loyzaga said then they were expecting to make a shortlist of applicants before making a final decision by January, but found their man in less than a week.

Meanwhile, San Beda is looking at a possible return of former champion coach Boyet Fernandez, according to the source.

Fernandez coached the Red Lions for two seasons from 2013 to 2014 and guided them to back-to-back titles before jumping to the PBA and coaching the NLEX Road Warriors. He has since been replaced by coach Yeng Guiao in the league’s offseason this year.

Jarin leaves San Beda after two seasons and a championship, following in the footsteps of Aldin Ayo, who last year moved from Colegio de San Juan de Letran to newly-crowned UAAP champion De La Salle University. Ayo won back-to-back NCAA and UAAP titles in the past couple of years.

The Bulldogs finished outside of the Final Four picture with a 5-9 record in UAAP Season 79 despite initially being touted as key contenders. – Rappler.com