Word on the street: How well will DLSU perform in UAAP Season 78?

With UAAP Season 78 set to unfold, The LaSallian decided to get the take of different members of the Lasallian community with regards to how they think the DLSU athletes will perform this year. From the athletes themselves down to The Green Mind, anyone and everyone shared their thoughts on the school’s quest to reclaim the General Championship (GC) that DLSU last held in Season 76.

Inigo Gonzales (Co-Captain, DLSU Men’s Football Team)

This year, I think it will be a tough season for La Salle. Every team lost at least one player who was both instrumental for them in the game and influential to the team dynamic and attitude. However, having said that, I wouldn’t count us out since I’m confident that our school will be the top contender this coming UAAP. My fellow athletes are hungrier than ever, having come so close to a three-peat GC only to have it slip right out of our grasp. One thing’s for sure: we’ll never forget that feeling of coming so close only to fall short near the finish line. For my team it was all too painful having to be undefeated the whole season and lose right in the final game when it mattered most. This year we are coming back stronger and with a point to prove.  Our team lived by a battle cry last season ‘starts strong, finish stronger’. As early as now, every team is working hard to improve from last year’s performance so that once again we can prove that we are strongest school out there.

May Montenegro (Captain, DLSU Lady Fencers)

I think that the Lasallian community would want to take their crown back. This motivates us student-athletes to work harder and hopefully inspire more student-athletes to do their best in their respective games. Our mission is to get it done this season. It’s been two years since the last GC win. Last year’s performance was good but it wasn’t enough. We may have lost the title but we learned a lot from the experience. This year, we will come back stronger, wiser, and more mature in our sports to claim what was once ours.

Carlo Inocencio (USG President AY 2014-2015)

UAAP Season 78 will once again be another season for us, Lasallians to show our Animo spirit! I’m certain that despite challenges and hardships, our Animo spirit will reign supreme and once again be the General Champions for Season 78. Animo!

Ronaldo Manzano (TLS 53 Sports Editor, TLS 54 Editor in Chief )

It’s hard to predict how well DLSU will perform across 15 different UAAP competitions but since we are one of the few universities that fields a team in each and every one, we’ll definitely be in contention for the General Championship. The key will be the improvement of each team and whether or not they can surpass their efforts last season. We’ve seen over the past few years that our varsity teams have been consistent in terms of their final UAAP standings so I think it’s safe to say that DLSU’s chances of winning the General Championship this year are pretty solid.

Tony L. Atayde Jr. (@asgreenasitgets, LIA, ’75)

Last season, DLSU lost the UAAP overall championship by a very small margin. I have personally seen how hard all the athletes are working to be better in their respective sports. The Office of Sports Development is doing a great job in making sure that all the athletes are taken care of, not just in sports and physical fitness but more importantly in their studies.  Remember that La Salle is one of the very few member schools who participate in all the UAAP sports. So having said that, I am sure we will once again give UST good competition for the overall championship.  The Lasallian community should support all our athletes especially in sports that are not as popular as basketball and volleyball.  We all have to Live the Animo!