Given 7 months to propel UP back to Final Four, new coach Fabio Menta puts full trust on young core

MANILA, Philippines – New UP head coach Fabio Menta has had seven months to turn the Fighting Maroons from fringe contenders into a Final Four force.

With UAAP Season 88 looming, he now has his young core ready to turn that blueprint into reality.

“Everybody knows that UP didn’t go to Final Four for 10 years. I was called to achieve that goal. Admittedly, that is very tough,” Menta told Rappler. “We went through a very tough preparation, trying to find the balance of strength and maturity for our young players.”

UP last reached the Final Four in Season 78 in 2016, when the team was still bannered by Tots Carlos, Isa Molde, and Nicole Tiamzon.

“We had to redo the whole program when it came to technique and especially tactics. For the girls, it’s been a lot of pressure in that sense, but the team responded very well, so we feel now that we are at a better level, faster, stronger,” Menta said.

Menta, 64, rolls out a retooled lineup, blending a handful of veterans with a wave of young talent.

For Season 88, the Fighting Maroons will have the graduating Niña Ytang, Irah Jaboneta, and Joan Monares together with the youthful core led by Kianne Olango and Casiey Dongallo, who transferred from UE to UP last year.

All eyes will be on 21-year-old Dongallo, who erupted for 291 points in Season 86 to shatter the rookie scoring record established by Ateneo’s Faith Nisperos with 267 in Season 84. Adamson’s Shaina Nitura eventually broke the mark with 371 points in Season 87 in 2025.

Aside from Dongallo, former Lady Warriors Jelai Gajero and Kizzie Madriaga also joined the Fighting Maroons, whose program got a massive boost with the backing of Strong Group Athletics (SGA).

“We have very good spikers right now. So I think everybody’s going to take a slice of responsibility because one of our characteristics would be almost equal distribution in the game,” Menta said.

“Everybody is under pressure to prove their worth.”

UP played in the Shakey’s Super League, and in various tuneup games against PVL teams Nxled and Petro Gazz, where the Maroons held their ground, Menta said.

Beyond roster upgrades, Menta said the program has gone holistic for Season 88, bringing in psychologists and mental health experts to strengthen the team for pressure-packed situations.

“We are working a lot mentally. We added to the staff some psychologists and sports psychologists. So we’re trying to do a whole program that changes the ability of UP to play volleyball,” he said.

Last year, UP, then coached by Benson Bocboc, posted a 6-8 record and missed the Final Four. 

It will be Menta’s first head coaching gig since the 2016 Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship, where he called the shots for Foton Pilipinas.

The Italian mentor has also served as a consultant for Farm Fresh and ZUS Coffee in the PVL.

With a clear view of what it takes to contend, Mentra stressed turning UP into a true two-way team for Season 88.

“Our identity will be our tough defense and speed of attack,” he said. “That’s what we want to achieve. In training it happens many times, sometimes it doesn’t happen. We need more consistency. So, there are still ups and downs in the learning process.”

UP will open its Season 88 campaign against UE on Saturday, February 14, at the Mall of Asia Arena. – Rappler.com