NU's Belen is first ever Rookie of the Year-MVP in UAAP women’s volleyball

MANILA, Philippines – National University spiker Mhicaela Belen claimed a big piece of history, becoming the first women’s player to win both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards in the same season.

In her first but already dominant season, Belen was head and shoulders above of her counterparts by also capturing the Best Outside Hitter for a three-trophy showing in the UAAP Season 84 women’s volleyball tournament.

It was a continuation of Belen’s excellence and potential only at 19 years of age after also hoisting the UAAP girls’ volleyball MVP honor in Season 82 prior to her collegiate transition with the same NU program.

Belen only placed third in scoring with 14.5 points for an overall 203-mark in the two-round eliminations but she also stamped her class in almost every department to become the first ROY-MVP in UAAP women’s volleyball history.

She led the league in service department (0.47 ace per set), second in spiking success rate (38.96%), sixth in reception (40.85%) and eighth in digs (2.38 per set) for an all-around UAAP seniors debut.

The national team stalwart Belen also tallied eight aces in the elims, tying Ateneo’s Dzi Gervacio for the most service aces in UAAP history.

Her collection of awards, however, was only the tip of the iceberg for the formidable Lady Bulldogs, who bagged all but two citations this season.

NU stalwarts Alyssa Solomon (Best Opposite Spiker), Jennifer Nierva (Best Libero), Camilla Lamina (Best Setter) and Sheena Toring (Second Best Middle Blocker) also flaunted their respective mights.

Only Faith Nisperos (Second Best Outside Hitter) of Ateneo and Thea Gagate (First Middle Blocker) of La Salle were the only other winners not from NU this season.

Apparently, all the season awardees including Nisperos and Gagate were products of the celebrated NU high school volleyball program.

At 15-0 now after a Game One  win, the unbeaten Lady Bulldogs will try to cap off the dream season against La Salle in a potential clincher Tuesday night.