MOST VALUABLE PLAYER. University of Santo Tomas spiker Josh Ybañez (center) holds the UAAP Season 86 men's volleyball Most Valuable Player trophy during the awarding ceremony at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on May 15, 2024. This is his second straight MVP award. (UAAP photo)
MANILA – University of Santo Tomas spiker Josh Ybañez bagged his second straight UAAP Most Valuable Player award during a ceremony at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday.
The 5-foot-7 sophomore from General Santos City amassed 89.643 statistical points (SP).
He finished the elimination round with 329 points, making 303 attacks (ranking number 1), 15 aces (number 2) and 11 blocks, and was best receiver (62.84 percent efficiency) and the sixth-best digger (1.66 digs/set).
Ybañez is the league's first back-to-back season MVP since Ateneo de Manila University’s Marck Espejo achieved a rare ‘5-of-5’ from Seasons 76-80.
Ybañez also earned 344 points to claim his second 1st Best Outside Spiker award.
National University's Nico Almendras, the Season 81 Rookie of the Year, was named 2nd Best Outside Spiker, garnering 270 points.
Joshua Retamar (NU) was Best Setter while Far Eastern University's Martin Bugaoan and De La Salle University’s Nathaniel Del Pilar won the Best Middle Blocker honors.
The other special awardees were FEU's Dryx Saavedra (Best Opposite Spiker), La Salle's Nard Guerrero (Best Libero) and NU’s Jade Disquitado (Rookie of the Year).
Meanwhile, NU's Bella Belen also pocketed her second MVP plum in the women's division.
The 21-year-old spiker from Quezon City garnered scored 82.2 SPs as she led the Lady Bulldogs to a 12-2 elimination round record.
Belen was seventh in scoring with 205 points (179 attacks, 15 blocks, and 11 aces), sixth in spiking at 36.53 percent, eighth best server at 0.22 aces per set, sixth in digging at 2.3 per set, and second in receiving with 48.3 percent efficiency rate.
UST's Annge Poyos, this season’s Rookie of the Year, ranked second in the MVP race with 76.964 SPs. She was second-best scorer with 290 points (249 attacks, 23 aces, and 18 blocks), third-best spiker at 40.75 percent and best server at 0.41 aces/set.
Belen took the 1st Best Outside Spiker award (300 points), while Poyos (285) got the 2nd Best Outside Spiker title.
NU's Alyssa Solomon captured the Best Opposite Spiker award, her second after winning it in Season 84.
UST’s Bernadett Pepito kept the Best Libero title, while teammate Cassie Carballo was named Best Setter. The Best Middle Blockers award went to La Salle's Thea Gagate and UP's Nina Ytang. (PNA)
