Collegiate Press Corps to expand Player of the Week citations to women's basketball, men's volleyball

For the first time ever, women's basketball and men's volleyball will get their recognition as the Collegiate Press Corps has decided to hand out Player of the Week honors to their outstanding players starting with UAAP Season 86 and NCAA Season 99.

The collegial body made up of scribes covering the two leagues have unanimously agreed to extend the citations to these two sports as a way to further contribute to their ascent.

"With collegiate sports going back to its normalcy, it’s also imperative for the Collegiate Press Corps to expand our reach to the other athletes," the group said in a statement.

"What better way to do that than extending our Player of the Week citations to women’s basketball and men’s volleyball, on top of the traditional men’s basketball and women’s volleyball honorees."

The Collegiate Press Corps will also hand out Collegiate Women's Basketball Player of the Year and Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Player of the Year awards at its annual Collegiate Awards come May 2024.

In 2018, women ballers have already been feted when National University standout Afril Bernardino was given the Award of Excellence.

Since then, the sports has been duly recognized as five more players were named as Players of the Week in Ria Nabalan (NU) in UAAP Season 81, Pat Pesquera (UP) and Mar Prado (Adamson) in UAAP Season 82, and Kacey dela Rosa (Ateneo) and Bettina Binaohan (La Salle) last UAAP Season 85.

Meanwhile, Josh Ybanez (UST) and Joshua Retamar (NU) were hailed with the same honors last season for their stellar performances in the men’s volleyball side.

—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News