FOR 29 years, head coach Ramil de Jesus called the shots for the De La Salle University Lady Spikers, proving his excellence in molding collegiate athletes to championship-ready players.
De Jesus’ program started in UAAP Season 60 (1997), and has delivered 13 titles for the Taft-based squad, recently dethroning two-peat champions National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs in UAAP Season 88.
While there is a continuous evolution in the Philippine volleyball scene, the decorated tactician shared that adapting through different generations was made possible due to his passion for his work.
“This is my passion. When potential comes my way, my goal is to bring out the child's talent and then push them even further. I love teaching; if you want to learn, we are here to help you succeed,” he said in Filipino after a successful UAAP Season 88 campaign.
His 13th title in 2026 made him officially the winningest coach in UAAP history across all sports, surpassing University of the East (UE) Baby Dalupan’s 12 titles in UAAP men’s basketball.
The La Salle coach also expressed how this season is way harder than any other season as he leans more on his core rotation.
“It’s not that easy because we mostly rely on a rotation of just seven to eight players. When the games are scheduled back-to-back, some players deal with knee pain or body aches. Recovery is a big deal for us.”
La Salle had a 17-day rest before heading to the Finals, as it swept the preliminary round with a 14-0 card.
The Lady Spikers reigned supreme in Season 88, completing a 16-0 sweep to capture the title.
With this feat, La Salle cemented its status in the elite ranks of NU and Ateneo as the only teams in UAAP women’s volleyball history to sweep their way to a championship. NICOLE ANNE BUGAUISAN
