MANILA, Philippines – For the second straight season, the UAAP has crowned a rookie MVP in women’s volleyball as La Salle teenage phenom Angel Canino rode a late surge to reach the top of the UAAP Season 85 elimination round leaderboards.

The 19-year-old sensation, also the runaway Rookie of the Year and 2nd Best Outside Spiker, accumulated 89.375 statistical points (SPs), the league’s lone basis for award voting.

Last season, National University (NU) star Bella Belen made history as the first rookie MVP in women’s volleyball.

In her award acceptance speech at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, May 14, Canino thanked everyone who helped her on her prodigious journey to the top, including her parents and former high school coach in La Salle Zobel, FEU legend Tina Salak.

Amid a barrage of individual awards, Canino however stayed locked in to the task at hand, and kept her eyes set on the ultimate honor: the UAAP women’s volleyball championship.

“To all who are here, we promise we will not stop until we have returned the crown to La Salle,” she said in Filipino during the awarding ceremony.

Ahead one game in the best-of-three finals against the defending champion NU Lady Bulldogs, Canino and the rest of the Lady Spikers have a golden opportunity to complete a series sweep later in the day and clinch the vaunted program’s 12th volleyball title.

“To the La Salle community who are here, thank you so much for supporting us. Thank you for showing your love. Thank you for believing in us, for the trust you’re giving us,” Canino continued.

A handful of other La Salle standouts joined Canino in the award lineup, namely Jolina dela Cruz as the 1st Best Outside Spiker, captain Mars Alba as the Best Setter, and Thea Gagate as the back-to-back 1st Best Middle Blocker.

UST’s Detdet Pepito was the lone representative of the Golden Tigresses as the season’s Best Libero.

Jovelyn Fernandez capped off a feisty underdog campaign for the FEU Lady Tamaraws as the Best Opposite Spiker, while Nina Ytang rose as the lone bright spot for the bottom-dwelling UP Fighting Maroons by winning the 2nd Best Middle Blocker citation.

Another rookie MVP won in the men’s division with University of Santo Tomas (UST) standout Josh Ybañez capturing both awards.

The 20-year-old open hitter from General Santos City became the first UST player to win the season MVP since Mark Alfafara.

Ybañez also won 1st Best Outside Spiker, joining awardees Obed Mukaba of NU (1st Best Middle Blocker), La Salle’s Billie Anima (2nd Best Middle Blocker), NU’s Michaelo Buddin (2nd Best Outside Spiker), UST’s Jay Rack dela Noche (Best Opposite Spiker), NU’s Joshua Retamar (Best Setter), and Ateneo’s Lance de Castro (Best Libero). – Rappler.com