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The UP Fighting Maroons women’s volleyball team with new coach Fabio Menta. Handout photo/UP OASD.

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<div style="line-height:1.5"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1769061786199att.64jEIblErJ92mBIuHLXxd4p-zgsw4DCyCKZ4vjxLfag.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>The UP Fighting Maroons women’s volleyball team with new coach Fabio Menta. Handout photo/UP OASD. MANILA — Veteran mentor Fabio Menta is the new head coach of the UP women&#x27;s volleyball team, the Fighting Maroons announced on Thursday.</div>Still with the support of sponsor Frank Lao and his Strong Group Athletics (SGA), the 64-year-old Italian has been officially appointed as the Fighting Maroons&#x27; new mentor, and his first UAAP campaign will commence in the Season 88 tournament in mid-February.&quot;We are excited to see how coach Fabio will bring out the best in this young and very promising roster that we have. Lahat tayo sa UP ay nagtitiwala at naniniwala that the Final Four is very much within our reach,&quot; said UP Office for Athletics and Sports Development director Bo Perasol.Menta first came to the Philippines in 2016 to call the shots for Foton Pilipinas, the national team-backed iteration of Philippine Superliga side Foton Tornadoes, in the 2016 Asian Women&#x27;s Club Volleyball Championship. His resume includes national and club team stints in Italy, the Bahamas, and the Cook Islands.Last year, he was tapped to be a consultant for SGA&#x27;s squads in the Premiere Volleyball League in Farm Fresh and ZUS Coffee before taking over the coaching post in Diliman.UP is coming off a joint fifth-place finish in Season 87, with a 6-8 win-loss record.They are now setting their sights on a return to the Final 4, with star middle blocker Nina Ytang, Kianne Olango, Irah Jaboneta, Joan Monares, and setter Jaz Manguilomotan leading the way.They will be reinforced by Casiey Dongallo, Jelai Gajero, Kizzie Madriaga, and Nigerian Ali Sarah Otukugu, as UP tries to end a near-decade playoff drought.&quot;He brings a good system which the team needs. We know what to do inside and outside the court because of that good system,&quot; said Jaboneta.

A brand new energy can be felt in UP, with seasoned tactician Fabio Menta taking over coaching the Fighting Maroons in #UAAPSeason88.women's volleyball.

A brand new energy can be felt in UP, with seasoned tactician Fabio Menta taking over coaching the Fighting Maroons in #UAAPSeason88.women's volleyball.

UAAP: UP taps Fabio Menta as new women’s volleyball coach for Season 88

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UAAP: UP taps Fabio Menta as new women’s volleyball coach for Season 88

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Published Jan 22, 2026 02:20 PM PHT

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Updated Jan 22, 2026 02:35 PM PHT

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Volleyball

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UAAP Season 88

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UP Fighting Maroons

Fabio Menta

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