UAAP Best Setter Retamar links up with Bagunas, Cignal 

MANILA, Philippines – Newly crowned Spikers’ Turf Open Conference champion Cignal added more firepower after signing UAAP Season 86 Best Setter Joshua Retamar to a deal on Friday, May 24.

Retamar, a three-time champion with the dynastic NU Bulldogs, will be providing much-needed playmaking to a team led by Bryan Bagunas.

“I chose Cignal because I feel like I will grow into the next stage of my volleyball career,” Retamar said in Filipino.

“We all know that Cignal is one of the longest winningest teams when it comes to the men’s division, so that is why I want to help the team extend its winning ways,” he added.

Bagunas and Retamar previously linked up in UAAP Season 81, when the Bulldogs won back-to-back titles anchored on Bagunas’ MVP campaign. 

Since Bagunas graduated from NU, Retamar’s floor leadership helped lead the Bulldogs to two more titles in Seasons 85 and 86, leading to both sweeps of the UST Golden Spikers in the championship series, and also twice winning the Finals MVP.

Retamar himself is no stranger to the men’s semi-professional league, having been feted the Best Setter award in the 2019 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference for Sta. Elena.

He is also one of Alas Pilipinas’ key prospects, and was one of the key cogs in the Philippines’ bronze-medal performance during the 30th Southeast Asian Games in Manila.

Retamar is also seen as one of the playmakers to be tapped for Alas Men as they head to the 2025 FIVB World Championship set to be hosted by the Philippines.

“It’s both an honor and a privilege to have a setter of Owa’s caliber. It’s not an easy feat to win three UAAP titles, much less the Finals MVP award as a setter,” said Cignal head coach Dexter Clamor.

“We’re looking forward to having him on the same side of the court for many years as he sets up our spikers which will hopefully lead to wins and more championships.” – Rappler.com