Ursabia, Batungbacal win AOY honors

ADAMSON University softball standout Angelie Ursabia and Ateneo swimming stalwart Aldo Batungbacal won the coveted UAAP Athlete of the Year honors as Season 79 came to a close in a meaningful ceremony on Saturday night at the Plaza Mayor inside the University of Santo Tomas (UST) campus.

Ursabia and Batungbacal duplicated the feats of their teammates Queeny Sabobo and Jessie Khing Lacuna, who also won the league’s highest individual honor last season.

Ursabia was solid in her final year for the Lady Falcons, winning the season MVP honors aside from bagging the Most Homeruns and Best Slugger awards. Besides helping Adamson University in recording a seven-peat, Ursabia did national team duties for the Blu Girls in last year’s World Cup of Softball XI in Oklahoma City and in the World Women’s Softball Championships in Surrey, Canada.

Behind season MVP Batungbacal, the Blue Eagles dominated the four-day meet, collecting a third straight championship.

Batungbacal was impressive for Ateneo, winning the 1,500- meter freestyle (16:42.21) and setting new league marks in the 200-meter breaststroke (2:22.95), 100-meter breastroke (1:05.78) and 400meter individual medley (4:39.98).

He also became a member of Team UAAP-Philippines that competed in the 18th ASEAN University Games in Singapore last year.

In the juniors division, De La Salle-Zobel tanker Nicole Pamintuan and National University volleyball playerLorence Cruz took home the Athlete of the Year honors.

The league also feted the college Athlete Scholars, namely Rhia Gaite of Adamson basketball, Patricia Sarmiento of Ateneo fencing, Michael del Prado of De La Salle track and field, Janelle Mae Frayna of FEU chess, Michael Minuluan of NU badminton, Nathaniel Perez of University of the East fencing, Jose San Juan of UP baseball and Noelito Jose Jr. of UST fencing.