Shaq Delos Santos tapped as head coach of UP Lady Maroons for the upcoming UAAP Season 85 after the exit of former coach Godfrey Okumu.
A day after steering the Cignal HD Spikers to a podium finish in the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference, Shaq Delos Santos was named head coach for the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons for the upcoming UAAP Season 85.
UP College of Human Kinetics Dean Francis Diaz confirmed the news of coach Shaq’s appointment on Monday, succeeding Kenyan Godfrey Okumu, who resigned last July 31.
“The UP Women’s Volleyball Team would like to welcome Coach Shaq Delos Santos as our new head coach! Coach Shaq has coached numerous teams, collegiate and professional and was also a national player himself,” the post read.
Joining Delos Santos in the coaching staff is Mozzy Ravena who will act as a consultant according to Dean Diaz.
“Coming from his recent third place victory with his professional team, Cignal, Coach Shaq is ready to take charge and call the shots for our team! We believe in you Coach and can't wait to see what you have in store for the team," the team added.
The former national team mentor first started in the UAAP as the head coach of University of Santo Tomas from 2008–2011, where he won a title in 2009, before returning to his alma mater Far Eastern University, coaching the Lady Tamaraws from 2011-2017.
Delos Santos led the Lady Tamaraws to three Final Four appearances from 2014-2017 before he was replaced by George Pascua.
The UP Lady Maroons have not made it to the Final Four since season 78 when they had their breakthrough year, missing the semifinals in three of the last four years with Coach Godfrey.
Coach Shaq will be handling a young-laden UP squad led by the show-stopper rookie Alyssa Bertolano and will try to bounce back from a lackluster 5-9 finish last season.
Tags: #UP, #UAAP, #volleyball