Rhenz Abando, Mycah Go, Gayle Pascual among top athletes to be recognized in Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night

NCAA Most Valuable Players Rhenz Abando and Mycah Go, and former Finals MVP Gayle Pascual are among the top collegiate athletes to be recognized on Monday night as the Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night return after three years.

Colegio de San Juan de Letran's Abando will get the Collegiate Player of the Year award in basketball for 2021-22, while De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde's Mycah Go and Gayle Pascual will be awarded the Collegiate Player of the Year in volleyball for 2022 and 2023, respectively.

In his first and only stint for the Muralla-based squad, Abando won the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards in NCAA Season 97 as the Knights won their second straight championship.

Season 97 MVP Go, meanwhile, led the Lady Blazers along with Pascual, in the 16-0 sweep of Benilde to claim the title in women's volleyball. Playing sans Go the following season, Pascual led the Taft-based squad to another tournament sweep to defend their title in Season 98.

Abando will join the likes of Ateneo de Manila University's Thirdy Ravena and Ange Kouame as they will be feted the Player of the Year Award for the years 2019-20 and 2022-23, respectively.

On the other hand, joining Go and Pascual from the UAAP side for the Player of the Year Award are Rookie MVPs Bella Belen of National University and Angel Canino of De La Salle University.

Ravena, along with Calvin Oftana (San Beda), Fran Yu (Letran), Jerrick Balanza (Letran), and Soulemane Chabi Yo (UST), are the members of the Mythical Team selection for the 2019-20 athletic season.

Joining Abando in the mythical selection for the 2021-22 season is his teammate Jeo Ambohot and Kouame, Malick Diouf (UP), and Carl Tamayo (UP) from the UAAP side.

Kouame led the selection for the recently concluded season which also included Diouf, Jerom Lastimosa (Adamson), Will Gozum (Benilde), and Louie Sangalang (Letran).

The coaches who steered their respective teams to the championship will also be highlighted as Bonnie Tan (Letran), Goldwin Monteverde (UP), and Tab Baldwin (Ateneo) will be given Coach of the Year honors, backed by Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Appliances, and Handyman.

The event, presented by San Miguel Corporation and the Philippine Sports Commission, will be held at the Hummingbird Rooftop Bar in Quezon City. The awards night is also supported by minor sponsors MNL Kingpin, Tinapayan Festival, and Jockey.

—Justin Kenneth Carandang/JMB, GMA Integrated News