NU Lady Bulldogs’ champion coach Sherwin Meneses. NU won the UAAP Season 87 women’s volleyball title. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines —Sherwin Meneses couldn’t have hoped for a better start to his UAAP return than this.
In only his very first season with National University, Meneses helped deliver the women’s volleyball title for the Lady Bulldogs–adding a UAAP title to his collection already filled with PVL championships.
READ: UAAP: NU wins 2nd straight women’s title with sweep of La Salle
Nine months after being named as the new NU coach, Meneses steered the team to a successful title defense after completing a series sweep of rival La Salle in Game 2, 25-19, 25-18, 25-19, of the 87 women’s volleyball finals Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena.
NU coach Sherwin Meneses, Finals MVP Vange Alinsug, Alyssa Solomon, and Lams Lamina after winning the #UAAPSeason87 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/aQeBbiHHdk
— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) May 14, 2025
“I’m extremely happy. We’re here, playing on the Finals stage. I’m very thankful to the NU players. This is actually my first UAAP title,” said Meneses, who was absent in the league for nine years since last coaching his Alma Mater Adamson in 2016.
“We managed to build great chemistry in a short amount of time, which makes this even more special. Hopefully, there are more to come, aside from my titles in the pros.”
The multi-titled pro coach, who used to call the shot for the Arellano men’s volleyball program in the NCAA, said it wasn’t hard working with champion players Bella Belen, Alyssa Solomon, and the rest of the Lady Bulldogs who all immediately committed to his system.
READ: UAAP: Bella Belen caps storied NU run with MVP hat trick, title repeat
“It’s all in the daily grind, every training, every game. That’s our job: to guide the players. When I’m given a job, I just do it. What matters is that every day, we show up for the team we’re handling. That’s the most important thing,” said the seven-time PVL champion said.
Belen, who exited NU with three titles and just as many MVP awards, said Meneses even made them better as individuals and as one unit after the Lady Bulldogs experienced several coaching changes since their perfect Season 84 campaign under coach Karl Dimaculangan.
“With Coach Sherwin, we saw how much the system helped us. It really guides us on how to move on the court. Even though we’ve had different coaches across three championships, our chemistry never disappeared. We know each other well, and no matter who coaches us, we’re confident we can adapt and compete,” Belen said.
‘Simplifying volleyball’
NU Lady Bulldogs celebrate latest UAAP title after beating La Salle in a sweep in the Season 87 women’s volleyball finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Erin Pangilinan and Sheena Toring also lauded Meneses for making sure every player on the roster develop, utilizing every position in practice to keep an “always ready” mindset for each member.
“Coach Sherwin taught us how to simplify volleyball. As middle blockers, we usually worry about a lot of things. But he showed us that we don’t need to carry everything ourselves. Everyone has a role. That’s the best part, you’re not playing just for yourself, you’re moving for your teammates,” Pangilinan told the reporters.
“From my experience with other coaches, Coach Sherwin’s blocking system is different. It’s designed to lighten the load. We’re not expected to block everything by ourselves. It’s more about smart teamwork,” Toring added.
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After cementing his legacy as a multi-titled PVL coach and a first-time UAAP champion, Meneses won’t just rest with just one championship with the Lady Bulldogs.
“The landscape is totally different now. These days, the competition starts with recruitment. That’s where the real battle begins. Hopefully, with NU’s current talent pool, the team keeps succeeding in the coming years,” he said.
