Niña Ytang and Jewel Encarnacion have both decided to stay committed to University of the Philippines ahead of the UAAP Season 86 women’s volleyball tournament. 

In a press release by the school’s Office for Athletics and Sports Development, both players have turned down offers to play in the PVL and instead opted to become part of the team’s rebuilding process. 
 

Along with Nica Celis, who is also set to play in the oncoming season, Ytang and Encarnacion are looking for a significant turnaround when the season rolls around. 

"We are very grateful to Niña, Jewel, and Nica for remaining loyal to UP. Of course, we'd support them if they decided to turn pro, but we're even more excited that they're staying to continue the UP Fight in volleyball," said program director Oliver Almadro.

While Ytang emerged on top as one of the most lethal defensive players and was hailed as Second Best Middle Blocker last year, Encarnacion has been the squad’s reliable skipper and offensive presence since Season 84. 

The Fighting Maroons are on the path toward revival following a sorry Season 85 campaign that saw them fall to an 11-game slide. 

The cellar-dwelling UP side’s lone win last season came in the first round of the tournament against University of the East and it was all downhill from there. 

"Very important sila because they'll be the ones setting the standard and building the culture. We're very hopeful na yung mga bata at yung mga bago will follow the example they will set," said Almadro, who also recently added promising prospects in Bacolod Tay Tung High School's Jothea Mae Ramos and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu's Joanneesse Gabrielle Perez.

Although Almadro is yet to reveal the head coaches for the women’s and men’s squads, the program for both sides have been in consistent preparation for Season 86. 

Almadro crossed to the other side of Katipunan in August last year and joined to put UP OASD’s plans in motion for the school’s volleyball program.

With new backer Strong Group, the program is expected to reclaim some of its lost glory.