Daos, Gesmundo lead best in UAAP ’80

MANILA, Philippines — Swimmer Kirsten Chloe Daos and baseball player Francis Michael Gesmundo – aces from rivals Ateneo and La Salle, respectively – took home the coveted UAAP Athlete of the Year honors to lead the honor roll during the league’s closing ceremony for Season 80 last night at Far Eastern U Auditorium.

Daos, the Rookie of the Year-MVP who powered the Lady Eagles to their third championship in four years, and Gesmundo, the Season MVP who led the Green Batters to a runner-up finish, won the plum in the team category.

Daos splashed her way to the six golds and one silver in the recent campaign and suited up for Phl team in the 41st Southeast Asian Age Group Swimming Championship in Brunei where she snagged a silver. Gesmundo also did national team duties, playing in the Phl U-23 squad in the BFA Asian Baseball Championship in New Taipei City.

The two beat fellow MVPs in the other sports and events for the top individual plum awarded by the league at season’s end.

Another swimmer from La Salle, Zobel’s Nicole Pamintuan, netted her second straight AoY-Individual in the juniors play, where Far Eastern’s football standout Chester Gio Pabualan was AoY in team play.

University of Santo Tomas grabbed the spotlight, too, as it swept up the general championships in both the seniors’ and juniors’ division. The Tigers and Tigresses retained the GC to hike their overall tally to 42 while the Tiger and Tigress Cubs won their 18th GC.

Meanwhile, FEU’s Queen Tamaraw in volleyball Bernadeth Pons led the recipients of the Scholar-Athletes of the Year accolade for showing excellence in the sporting arena and in school.

FEU president Michael Alba formally turned over hosting chores to National U’s Teodoro Ocampo, who accepted the responsibility on behalf of the Sampaloc-based university.