IF Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Ramon “Tats” Suzara will be asked about Brazilian coach Jorge Edson Souza de Brito’s future, he’s going nowhere but in Alas Pilipinas.

“We’ll be appealing that he remains head coach of our women’s national team program,” said Suzara on Monday, a day after the Alas Pilipinas methodically beat Chinese-Taipei, 25-13, 25-21, 25-18, to advance to the Asian Volleyball Confederation  Challenge Cup for Women semifinals unscathed in four matches in Pool A play.

“Coach Jorge coached the country to a first-ever semifinals stint in any AVC or Asian level competition, that’s historic for Philippine volleyball,” Suzara said. “And because of that, there’s no reason that we’ll let him go.”

By letting go means De Brito— who arrived in the country in July 2021 under the FIVB’s national team development program that Suzara significantly facilitated— would be heading for Chinese-Taipei for another tour of duty.

De Brito, who helped Brazil to the men’s gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, is bound to be replaced by another FIVB-appointed coach from Italy.

The 57-year-old Brazilian has earlier stated in interviews that if he has his way, he’d love to stay in the Philippines— his family, in fact, have joined him in the country and according to him, they’ve gotten to love the Philippines.

Immediately after Alas Pilipinas beat Iran to secure a semifinals seat, the Philippines rose from No. 62 to No. 57 in the FIVB women’s world ranking and breached the top 10 in Asia at No. 9.

“We’ve always trusted coach Jorge and Alas Pilipinas’s historic accomplishment in this AVC Challenge Cup is testament to his world-class skills as coach,” Suzara said.

WORLD-CLASS action returns at the world-class Nuvali Sand Courts with the staging of the sixth leg of the 2024 FIVB Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures starting tomorrow (Thursday, April 11).

It was only last Sunday when the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) capped a four-day Asian Volleyball Confederation Beach Tour Nuvali Open at the Nuvali courts by Ayala Land with Iran and Australia emerging as men’s and women’s champions, respectively.

On Thursday, the elite in beach volleyball would again converge in the City of Santa Rosa for the sixth of the 36 legs calendared by the FIVB and Volleyball World for the Futures event.

“We expect dozens of teams anew from all over the world to showcase the future global stars of beach volleyball,” said PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

“The Philippines and Nuvali are now a world beach volleyball destination, marking the country’s significant presence in the sport.”

Teams were expected to arrive starting Tuesday and until Wednesday in time for the preliminary inquiry for the event backed by Smart Communications, Santa Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Asics, Senoh, Mikasa, Foton Motor Philippines Inc. and Seda Nuvali.

The PNVF has lined up six major international tournaments this year—highlighted by the Volleyball Nations League Men’s Week 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena from June 18 to 23—ahead of the country’s solo hosting of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2024.

Also on the PNVF international calendar are the 5th AVC Challenge Cup for Women (May 25-June 1, PhilSports Arena), 4th Southeast Asia V League Women’s Week 2 (July) and Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge (November 28-December 1, Nuvali).

MANILA — University of Santo Tomas (UST) unleashed a lethal weapon in slaying Cignal and College of Saint Benilde played true to form to emerge men’s and women’s champions of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Challenge Cup on Saturday night at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

Joshua Ybañez, only 5-foot-6, was more than a David in UST’s lineup as he unleashed a high-flying and all-over-the-court act in the Tigers’ 20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 19-25, 15-13 slaying of many-time club champion Cignal, which won the men’s tournament inaugurals last year.

“I still can’t believe we won against a top team Cignal,” said Ybañez, 20, who added the Challenge Cup Most Valuable Player trophy to his Rookie-MVP plum in Season 85 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

“But we won because of teamwork and of course, our coaches,” added the pride of General Santos City who had 26 points in the two-hour and 16-minute thriller.

If UST had to dig deep in scoring the upset, coach Gerry Yee and Saint Benilde

Benilde was tactical in beating the University of the Philippines (UP), 25-18, 25-18, 25-13, to reign supreme in women’s play.

The Lady Blazers, back-to-back National Collegiate Athletic Association champions, needed only 81 minutes to frustrate UP and complete a sweep of the 16-team women’s division of the tournament supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, PLDT, Rebisco, Akari, Foton, and CBPI.

“We joined the Challenge Cup to gear up for the NCAA and we’re very glad we won,” said Yee, whose wards never surrendered a set in the tournament. “We’re all inspired and boosted ahead of the NCAA.”

The Tigers were no lucky finalists—they ousted three-peat UAAP champion National University in the semifinals.

“Of course, it’s unreal. These are literally kids and their opponents are pros,” said UST coach Odjie Mamon, who also handles the men’s national team. “It’s part of our preparations for UAAP and evaluation of our updated playing system style. And this championship validated all of our systems.”

PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara thanked all 36 teams—men and women—for seeing action in the Challenge Cup, the federation’s second-to-last major tournament for the year.

“It’s been an exciting close to three weeks of volleyball action and I appreciate the enthusiasm of the athletes and teams who came from all over the country,” said Suzara.

Next up on the PNVF calendar is the season-ending Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge that gathers the world’s elite players in a brand-new and world-class five-court beach volleyball facility in the City of Santa Rosa starting this Thursday.

Ybañez also claimed the first-best outside hitter to join teammates Rey Miguel De Vega (Second Best Outside Hitter), Edlyn Paul Colinares (Second Best Middle Blocker), and Sherwin Umandal (Best Opposite Spiker) in the Super Team.

Completing the men’s awardees in the 20-team men’s division were JP Bugaoan (First Best Middle Blocker) and Manuel Sumanguid III (Best Libero) of Cignal as well as Jerome Lopez (Best Setter) of bronze medalist VNS Asereht.

NU, which finished fourth, received the Fair Play Green Card in the awarding ceremony graced by PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara, secretary-general Don Caringal, national team commission chairman Tonyboy Liao and Cignal president and CEO Jane Basas.

Saint Benilde’s Wielyn Estoque was the Best Outside Hitter and Most Valuable Player in the women’s division with teammates Zamantha Nolasco (First Best Middle Blocker), Chenae Basarte (Best Setter) and Fiona Getigan (Best Libero).

Niña Ytang (Second Best Middle Blocker) and Stephanie Bustrillo (Best Opposite Spiker) of silver medalist UP as well as Lea Rizel Tapang (Second Best Outside Hitter) of third-placer Letran completed the women’s honor roll.

VNS Asereht beat NU, 32-34, 23-25, 26-24, 25-23, 15-13, while Letran bested Philippine Air Force, 25-15, 25-23, 25-19, to clinch the men and women bronze medals, respectively.

(ai/mnm)

Games today (Wednesday)

(Rizal Memorial Coliseum)

8 a.m. – Angatleta-Orion, Bataan vs JRU (men’s)
10 a.m. – PGJC Navy vs Plaridel, Quezon (men’s)
12 nn – UE Cherrylume vs Arellano (men’s)
2 p.m. – Sta. Rosa City vs EAC (men’s)
4 p.m. – LPU-Batangas vs UP (women’s)
6 p.m. – Arellano vs University of Batangas (women’s)

MANILA — NCAA champion College of St. Benilde made short work of Parañaque City, 25-6, 25-25-20, 25-17, to kick off the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Challenge Cup in flying colors on Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

The Lady Blazers, who swept the last two NCAA seasons, met little to no resistance in finishing off their foes in only 65 minutes for a roaring start in Pool A of the tournament supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, PLDT, Rebisco, Akari, Foton, and CBPI.

Ace middle blocker Zamantha Nolasco anchored St. Benilde’s win with solid coverage from Wielyn Estoque and Corrine Apostol.

Colegio de San Juan de Letran and San Beda U also came away with impressive debut wins in the women’s division featuring 16 teams for the former Champions League of the PNVF headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

The Lady Knights fended off the Rizal Technological University-Basilan, 25-22, 25-11, 22-25, 25-13, in Pool C as the Lady Red Spikers trounced La Salle-Dasmarinas, 25-19, 25-17, 25-16, in Pool D.

The action continues today (Wednesday) at the same venue starting with the men’s play, consisting of 20 squads.

Angatleta-Orion, Bataan takes on Jose Rizal University at 8 a.m. and PGJC Navy battles Plaridel, Quezon at 10 a.m., in Pool C while University of the East Cherrylume and Arellano collide at 12 noon in Pool B.

Sta. Rosa City then lock horns against Emilio Aguinaldo College at 2 p.m. in Pool D before the women’s play resumes featuring the duels of Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas against University of the Philippines at 4 p.m. in Pool D and Arellano University versus the University of Batangas at 6 p.m. in Pool C.

The PNVF Challenge Cup made up of 36 teams in both men’s and women’s divisions, resumes play on November 14 to November 23 for the single-round eliminations until the knockout playoffs on November 25 to 26.

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MANILA — The country’s top collegiate clubs and local government unit (LGU)-based teams collide as the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) launches the Challenge Cup starting Tuesday, November 7 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

Twenty squads in the men’s division and 16 in the women’s side duke it out in 15 days of intense volleyball action—the penultimate tournament the PNVF, headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara, is hosting this year.

“Three-peat” UAAP champion National University and reigning PNVF Champions League titlist Cignal headline the cast in the men’s division of the tournament supported by the Philippine Sports Commission headed by chairman Richard Bachmann, PLDT, Rebisco, Akari, Foton and CBPI.

NU is in Pool B with RTU-Basilan, Arellano University, VNS Asereht, and the University of the East-Cherrylume while Cignal leads Pool A with Kuya JM-Davao City, Savouge Aesthetics, Volida Volleyball Club and University of Batangas.

PGJC Navy, 3B Marikina City, Angatleta-Orion, Bataan, Jose Rizal University and Plaridel, Quezon are Pool C as well as UAAP runner-up University of Santo Tomas, Tacloban City-EV, Iloilo D’Navigators, Santa Rosa City and Emilio Aguinaldo College are in Pool D.

In the women’s division, two-time reigning NCAA queen College of Saint Benilde spearheads Pool A with Volida Volleyball Club, UP Volleyball Club, and Parañaque City.

Bunched in Pool B are Philippine Airforce, JRU, Davao City, and Tacloban City-EV while Arellano, Letran, University of Batangas, and RTU-Basilan make up Pool C.

Completing the fray are the University of the Philippines, San Beda, Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, and La Salle-Dasma in Pool D.

St. Benilde and Paranaque open the hostilities at 8 a.m. today (Tuesday) in the women’s play followed by the clashes of RTU against Letran and La Salle-Dasmarinas against San Beda at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., respectively.

In the afternoon games, Cignal begins its campaign against Savouge Aesthetics at 2 p.m. and NU takes on RTU at 4 p.m. with UST and Sta. Rosa wrapping up the six-game opener at 6 p.m.

The Challenge Cup is the PNVF’s Champions League with a new name. The tournament was first staged in Lipa City in 2021 with F2 Logistics winning the women’s title and Team Dasma Monarchs ruling the men’s contest.

All teams slug it out in a single-round robin format within their pools with only the top two teams advancing in the quarterfinals.

The quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship will be played in a knockout format for the first crown of the PNVF Challenge Cup. (ai/mnm)

NINETEEN days of volleyball action gets center stage in November with the Philippine National Volleyball Federation’s (PNVF) Challenge Cup at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Nine men’s teams and six women’s squads—all local government unit (LGU)-based- have so far confirmed their participation in the PNVF’s penultimate tournament for the 2023 calendar.

“The Challenge Cup gives LGUs the opportunity to have their own volleyball programs and we’re looking forward to discover unpolished talents through this tournament,” PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara said.

The target is 16 teams for each gender with a total of 64 matches set to be played from November 6 to 9 and 13 to 23.

The first eight days of competition are the elimination round among the teams divided in four pools.

Already confirmed for the men’s tournament are Plaridel (Quezon), Davao City, Orion and Dinalupihan (Bataan), University of Batangas, VNS, Arellano University and Alpha Omega Elite.

In the women’s side, they are Davao City, Parañaque City, De La Salle University- Dasmariñas, University of Batangas, Arellano University and San Pedro City, Laguna.

The Challenge Cup precedes the culminating Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge which features the world’s top beach volleyball teams set later in November in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

The PNVF then kicks off its 2024 calendar with the Champions League in February.

(AI/MNM)

THE Philippine men’s team quietly but strongly pulled off a major accomplishment by leapfrogging 111 notches from No. 167 down in the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) world rankings to No. 56 following two victories at the ongoing Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Challenge Cup for Men in Taipei.

“This is one big, major achievement for our men’s indoor volleyball team,” Philippine National Volleyball Federation president Ramon “Tats” Suzara said on Wednesday.

“This is by far the most significant accomplishment by our men’s team and the PNVF just under three years into its establishment as the national federation,” Suzara added.

The Philippines is one of only three of the 222 FIVB member nations which made a major stride in the world rankings.

Macau jumped from No. 165 to No. 58 and Mongolia from No 164 to No. 59 with both countries also competing in Taiwan.

The national men’s team currently vying in Taipei is composed of Vincent Raphael Mangulabanan, Noel Michael Kampton, Kim Harold Dayandante, Vince Patrick Lorenzo, Ryan Andrew Banez, Kim Malabunga, Jayvee Sumagaysay, Steve Charles Rotter, Adrian Villados, John Vic de Guzman, Joshua Umandal, Edward Camposano, Bryan Bagunas, Marck Jesus Espejo, Rex Emmanuel Intal, Madzlan Gampong, Lloyd Josafat, Cyrus de Guzman, Manual Sumanguid III and Chumason Celestine Njigha.

The team is led by PNVF director Rod Roque and handled by Brazilian head coach Sergio Veloso and deputy coaches Odjie Mamon and Rommel Abella with team manager Jerome Guhit, strength and conditioning coach Melchidedek Samonte and statistician Mark Gil Alfafara.

The PNVF also sent FIVB referee Janus Dumaran to Taiwan.

The nationals beat Macau, 25-21, 25-15, 25-14, last Sunday and Mongolia, 22-25, 25-21, 26-24, 23-25, 15-12, on Monday to reach the final 12 of the AVC Challenge Cup for Men at the University of Taipei Hall.

The Filipinos went on to give powerhouse Bahrain a scare before yielding, 25-20, 25-17, 25-23, at the resumption of play on Wednesday morning.

Also competing in Taiwan are the host country, Australia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, India, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

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