Casiey Dongallo and Jelai Gajero during practice with the UP women's volleyball team. Handout/UP OASD

Casiey Dongallo and Jelai Gajero during practice with the UP women's volleyball team

UAAP VOLLEYBALL

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17369156271526a84a98c-e24e-463a-acd1-0fa0bd98ae5a.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Casiey Dongallo and Jelai Gajero during practice with the UP women&#x27;s volleyball team. Handout/UP OASD"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Casiey Dongallo and Jelai Gajero during practice with the UP women&#x27;s volleyball team. <em>Handout/UP OASD</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Casiey Dongallo, the record-holder for most points as a rookie in UAAP women&#x27;s volleyball, has completed her transfer to the University of the Philippines along with three other players from the University of the East.</p><p>UP announced on Wednesday that Dongallo, together with setter Kizzie Madriaga, Jelai Gajero, and Jenalyn Umayam, are now part of their women&#x27;s volleyball program. </p><p>They will serve a one-year residency period before being eligible to play in UAAP Season 88. Because of the league&#x27;s new rules on transfers, they will have two seasons of eligibility left with the Fighting Maroons.</p><p>Their transfer comes shortly before the start of the UAAP Season 87 women&#x27;s volleyball tournament, concluding a saga that came to the fore in December when Dr. Obet Vital, the interim head coach of the Lady Warriors, resigned from his post.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/volleyball/2025/1/14/amid-reports-of-player-transfers-sga-reaffirms-commitment-to-ue-lady-warriors-1856">READ: Amid reports of player transfers, SGA reaffirms commitment to UE Lady Warriors</a></div><p>Vital is now part of the UP women&#x27;s volleyball program as well, set to oversee their training pool and serve as an assistant coach to Benson Bocboc. He will also spearhead UP&#x27;s grassroots program. </p><p>Dongallo was the <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/4/22/amid-tough-rookie-year-the-dream-lives-on-for-ue-s-casiey-dongallo-1445">runner-up for Rookie of the Year honors in Season 86</a>, where she scored a freshman-record 291 points and led the Lady Warriors to a 3-11 win-loss slate.</p><p>Next year, she, Madriaga, Gajero, and Umayam are tipped to reinforce a roster that still features middle blocker Nina Ytang and Kianne Olango.</p><p>Rumors that Dongallo will leave UE for another school began even when she was still playing for the Lady Warriors in Season 86. At the time, the star spiker shut down the possibility, insisting that she had no plans of leaving.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/23/dongallo-vows-to-stay-with-ue-amid-transfer-rumors-1951">FROM MARCH 2024: Dongallo vows to stay with UE amid transfer rumors</a></div><p>The circumstances have clearly changed, however.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s about time na palakasin din natin ang volleyball teams natin because they have great potential to be another source for unity ng UP community,&quot; said UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development Director Bo Perasol.</p><p>&quot;We welcome the entry of Doc Obet and his players &#x27;di lang para palakasin ang WVT, but to also show that we&#x27;re turning serious about competing in volleyball,&quot; he added.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173691567383350a7ea5e-ebda-4d15-8fb4-c9ca7ec74fe3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Dr. Obet Vital along with UP head coach Benson Bocboc. Handout/UP OASD"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Dr. Obet Vital along with UP head coach Benson Bocboc. <em>Handout/UP OASD</em></span></span></span></div><p>In UP, Vital is expected to continue guiding the development of the players, a program that started when they were all suiting up for California Academy in Antipolo. Moreover, they hope to play a big role in lifting the Fighting Maroons back into contention and reigniting the UP community&#x27;s passion for the sport.</p><p>UP has not made the Final 4 in women&#x27;s volleyball since 2017, when the likes of Tots Carlos and Isa Molde were carrying the fight for State U. In the Season 86 tournament, they labored to a one-win campaign -- incidentally, their lone victory came at the expense of the UE Lady Warriors.</p><p>&quot;Their arrival is a sign that Mr. Frank Lao, SGA [Strong Group Athletics], and OASD are really sincere in developing the UP volleyball program. Their addition to our roster, together with our recruits this year, will definitely make our team a contender in the following years,&quot; said UP volleyball program director Oliver Almadro.</p><p>While Dongallo and company serve their residency in Season 87, UP will bank on Ytang and Olango, along with veterans Nica Celis and Irah Jaboneta, as well as youngsters Yesha Noceja and Bienne Bansil and one-and-done dynamo Kassy Doering.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xebD6peMUvg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Casiey Dongallo, the record-holder for most points as a rookie in UAAP women's volleyball, has completed her transfer to the University of the Philippines along with three other players from the University of the East.</p>

Casiey Dongallo, the record-holder for most points as a rookie in UAAP women's volleyball, has completed her transfer to the University of the Philippines along with three other players from the University of the East.

It's official: Casiey Dongallo, 3 others leave UE, transfer to UP | ABS-CBN

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It's official: Casiey Dongallo, 3 others leave UE, transfer to UP

It's official: Casiey Dongallo, 3 others leave UE, transfer to UP

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 15, 2025 01:00 PM PHT

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Updated Jan 15, 2025 01:02 PM PHT

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