Tears of joy for Bella

MANILA, Philippines — A champion at first, a champion at last and now a lasting legacy with a growing dynasty left behind.

Bella Belen delivered a grand harvest of eight championships for NU and five MVPs overall, establishing a reign in the high school division before expanding her territory over to the collegiate play to cap one of the most storied runs in UAAP volleyball history.

With a resumé unlike any other, Belen punctuated her status as the greatest Bulldog ever, and catapulted herself to Mt. Apo of Philippine collegiate volleyball.

And no one could ever take that away from her.

“Extra special siya sa akin kasi isa sa factors na last playing year na namin,” said Belen after NU swept rival La Salle, 2-0, to rule Season 87 in front of more than 15,000 fans.

“Parang kung gaano kami kaganda pumasok, dapat ganoon din kaganda ‘yung pag-alis namin.”

Belen, then an elementary sensation from Quezon City, introduced a roaring arrival to the UAAP in Season 77 (2015) by delivering the first-ever girls’ volleyball title to the NU-Nazareth School.

With Belen and her lethal partner Alyssa Solomon at the helm, NUNS went on to win four straight (Seasons 77-80) and five overall in six seasons that served as a premonition to what storm they could unleash in the women’s division.

And she did, ending a 65-year title drought for the Lady Bulldogs with a 16-0 sweep capped by a domination of La Salle in Season 84 as she also became the first-ever Rookie-MVP in history.

“Pag nag-look back ako sa panahon ko sa NU, ‘yung teammates ko agad maalala ko. Hindi ‘yung championship, hindi ‘yung mga trophies. ‘Yung pagsasama at samahan na nabuo namin, hindi ‘yun mapapalitan ng kahit na ano o sino,” shared the teary-eyed Belen.

“Thankful ako na napunta ako sa NU,” she said.