Incoming sophomore Camille Nolasco is raring to make a bigger impact for the UP Fighting Maroons after an injury-hit rookie season in the UAAP.
Camille Nolasco struggled with injuries through the course of her rookie year, which sidelined her for most of the action with the UP Fighting Maroons in UAAP Season 87.
But with a blank slate incoming for Season 88, Nolasco has the chance to live up to her billing, after coming in as one of the more highly touted rookies in her class — especially with her national team experience.
With a fresh challenge of a new season, Nolasco is eager to bring all her learnings and experiences from a difficult first year to make it a great bounce back campaign.
“It was a tough year for me. Honestly, it wasn’t the season I wanted it to be.” said Nolasco, who played sparingly owing to her injuries.
“But I don’t take it for granted. I know I’ve learned a lot from that season. I just take everything that I’ve learned with me sa season na yun. I use it to become a better player and for me to improve.”
The team last year was led by the likes of Louna Ozar, and Kaye Pesquera.
But with the loss of former UAAP Rookie of the Year Favour Onoh, UP must now face the music with an All-Filipino lineup.
Unique challenge
Having already played an All-Filipino season without Onoh last year, Nolasco said that they’ll just need to band together as a team and figure out how to compete, even as they go up against teams that do have a foreign-student athlete.
The UP Fighting Maroons are coming off of a 5th place finish in UAAP Season 87. | Photo: RM Chua / One Sports
With the hopes of having a healthy season, Nolasco is eager to contribute to the team to fill in the whole left by Onoh, who is now headed to the US to play with an NCAA program.
“We know na not having an FSA or not having Favour last season was definitely one of the things that made it hard for us,” Nolasco admitted.
“Ngayon siguro, we were able to trust the team more. We know that now that we only have each other, so magta-trust kami sa isa’t isa ngayon. Really building the team chemistry more pa ngayong season na ‘to,” she added.
UP will face a tough test in their opening game, going up against last season’s bronze medalists Adamson in their first game of the year on Wednesday, September 24, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila at 7 p.m.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.