BO Perasol’s first move as UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development director is to recruit a champion coach and a big-time backer to take over the volleyball program.
Oliver Almadro, who previously handled the Ateneo Blue Eagles men’s and then women’s volleyball squads, has been tapped to take charge of both the Fighting Maroons’ men’s and women’s teams.
“I’m honored to be given this opportunity. I’m aware that it’ll be hard, but it’s actually easy to trust in the process because of all those who believe in me,” he said.
Almadro will serve as the program’s director, while handpicking yet-to-be-named successors to Shaq Delos Santos (women) and Rald Ricafort (men) beginning in UAAP Season 86.
In his new post, he will have the full faith of Perasol, as well as the full-time support of Farm Fresh Dairy.
“We believe that coach O will bring the UP volleyball program to greater heights. He has the experience of building championship teams, and he will have a helping hand in the form of our new sponsor for our volleyball program,” said Perasol.
“We give the biggest thanks to Farm Fresh Dairy for joining us in this new era for UP volleyball.”
Like Perasol, Almadro comes over to Diliman after a stint in Ateneo where he led the Blue Eagles (men) to a three-peat before guiding the Blue Eagles (women) to the Season 82 championship. He tallied an overall 29-21 record with the women and 60-10 record with the men.
In State U, he faces a tall task of architecting yet another rebuild for women’s and men’s teams that both last won it all back in the early ‘80s. Rising tower Nina Ytang will stand as the pillar for the women, while energizer Louis Gamban will be the key player for the men.
