All student-athletes and varsity teams of Ateneo will now be called and unified under the "Blue Eagles" name.
This was announced by no less than university president Fr. Roberto Yap SJ in a memo on Thursday, May 5.
The Blue Eagles moniker was originally used by Ateneo's men's basketball team only.
This time around, it will be used by the university's official varsity teams regardless of sport, gender, or age group (juniors or seniors).
Ateneo's women's volleyball squad, for instance, won't be called the "Lady Eagles" anymore while the boys' basketball counterpart bid goodbye to its "Blue Eaglets" nickname.
"It is a recognition of the fact that each of our student athletes, whatever their sport or year level, represents the mens sana in corpore sano (sound mind in a sound body) ideal: excelling in the classroom and in the sporting arena, hallmarks of well-rounded Ateneo education and formation," wrote Yap in the memo.
The move was in line with the university's initiative to a "more inclusive, gender-equal University community."
"Lastly, by uniting under one name, we will further solidify and strengthen the “One Ateneo” spirit, bringing together our community not only in sports, but in our shared mission to be a force for good in the world," added Yap.