BACOLOD City — Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts graduating setter Katherine Shaine Cortez is set to take her talents to the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles women’s volleyball team.
According to Thunderbolts team manager Jose Montalbo, the Bacolod City-native Cortez has chosen the Blue Eagles among all the Manila-based school that has inquired about her services.
“Katherine has chosen to play her collegiate career with Ateneo. It was her dream school and she also believes she will continue to excel with the Blue Eagles,” Montalbo told Panay News on Sunday.
Montalbo added that Blue Eagles head coach Oliver Almadro has been eyeing on Cortez for sometime now after he personally saw the setter during his visits in Bacolod City.
“Actually, matagal na siya nakita ni Coach O. When Bacolod Tay Tung played in Manila for Rebisco Volleyball League years ago and nung nagpunta siya dito sa Bacolod City,” Montalbo said.
“Since then, he was already asking about Katherine but we let her decide kung saan niya gusto mag-college and she chose Ateneo, and I believe she will have a good career there,” he added.
Thunderbolts assistant coach Roberto Calamba Jr., for his part, said that he was glad that Cortez will join the growing list of Bacolod Tay Tung volleybelles who were recruited to play in Manila.
“I and coach Ian (Macariola) were very proud of her because we know how hard she trains everyday to perfect her setting, so we are happy that she was recruited by her dream school,” Calamba said.
“We just hope that, as she goes to Ateneo, that she will continue to be the kind and humble Katherine that we know, because people who boast on small wins will surely not be successful in life,” he added.
Cortez will become the third Western Visayas-based player in the Blue Eagles roster aside from Ilongga libero Roma Mae Doromal and Negrense hitter Beautiliza Lomocso./PN
