AFTER a long wait, the Collegiate Press Corps’ Awards Night returns to the red carpet to honor the brightest stars from the past three seasons tonight at the Hummingbird Rooftop Bar in Quezon City.
In a historic three-in-one ceremony presented by San Miguel Corp., and backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, the top student-athletes in the UAAP Seasons 82 to 85 and NCAA Seasons 95 to 98 will be recognized by the group of online and print media covering the collegiate beat.
Letran’s Rhenz Abando, Ange Kouame and Thirdy Ravena of Ateneo de Manila University are to be feted as Collegiate Basketball Players of the Year together with Knights mentor Bonnie Tan, Ateneo’s Tab Baldwin and University of the Philippines’ Goldwin Monteverde as Coaches of the Year.
National University’s Mhicaela Belen, De La Salle University’s Angel Canino, and College of St. Benilde’s Mycah Go and Gayle Pascual will be named Volleyball Players of the Year.
Mr. Abando, now in Korea, was the Rookie-MVP for the San Juan De Letran Knights in Season 97, while Thirdy Ravena anchored Ateneo’s three-peat in Season 82 before his departure to Japan. Ange Kouame was the Season 84 MVP and Season 85 Finals MVP.
Mr. Baldwin won it for Ateneo in Seasons 82 and 85, Mr. Monteverde authored UP’s first UAAP title after 36 years in Season 84 and Mr. Tan towered over all the NCAA by achieving a three-peat.
Mmse. Belen and Canino were the first-ever Rookie-MVPs in UAAP Season 84 and 85, respectively, as National University and De La Salle took turns in capturing the volleyball titles. In the NCAA, the Lady Blazers completed back-to-back championship sweeps behind the duo of Mmsse. Go and Pascual.
Meanwhile, the troika of Messrs. Ravena, Abando and Kouame will also headline the Mythical Five in each collegiate basketball season of the CPC Awards Nights also powered by MNL Kingpin, Tinapayan Festival and Jockey.
Mr. Ravena banners the 2019-2020 Mythical Team with Letran’s Jerrick Balanza and Fran Yu, San Beda’s Calvin Oftana and University of Santo Tomas’ Soulemane Chabi Yo.
Mr. Abando leads the 2021-22 edition with Letran teammate Jeo Ambohot, University of the Philippines’ Carl Tamayo and Malick Diouf, and Ateneo’s Kouame, who anchors the 2022-2023 team with College of St. Benilde’s Will Gozum, UP’s Diouf, Letran’s Louie Sangalang and Adamson’s Jerom Lastimosa. — John Bryan Ulanday