Joan Monares has learned that the most painful losses are often the ones that linger longest—and for the UP Fighting Maroons, last season’s near-miss remains a powerful source of fuel.
After emerging as one of the quiet revelations of UAAP Season 87 and pushing the Final Four race deep into the schedule, UP came up just short of a breakthrough. Now entering Season 88 with a deeper roster and a new voice on the bench, Monares is determined to make sure that close call does not go to waste.
The senior hitter, now carrying the added responsibility of captain, sees the season not as a fresh start but as unfinished business.
The Maroons return a solid core from last year’s squad, with Monares joined by holdovers Nina Ytang and Irah Jaboneta, while new additions Casiey Dongallo and Jelai Gajero bring fresh firepower to a team eager to finally break through. For Monares, the hunger is unmistakable.
They were close before—close enough to know what it takes, and close enough to know how much more is required.
That urgency, she says, has defined their preparation. Training sessions have been sharper, expectations higher, and the collective belief stronger. The team no longer speaks about competing; it talks about finishing.
Yet Monares is careful not to let her new title change who she is on the court and in the locker room. Rather than leaning into authority, she has chosen a quieter form of leadership—one rooted in consistency and approachability.
For her, being captain is less about being the loudest voice and more about setting a tone teammates can trust. She aims to be someone younger players can approach freely, whether for guidance, reassurance, or clarity during moments of uncertainty.
That balancing act becomes even more important this season, as UP also adjusts to life under new head coach Fabio Menta. With a fresh system and players arriving from different volleyball backgrounds, early practices required patience as the pieces slowly came together.
Monares admits the transition was smoother for some than others, but credits the team’s willingness to communicate—and deliberate team-building sessions—for accelerating the process. Understanding each other on and off the court, she believes, has been just as crucial as learning plays.
With the season opener approaching, confidence is beginning to replace adjustment. The Maroons believe they are no longer just assembling talent—they are forming identity.
That identity will be tested immediately when UP Fighting Maroons open their UAAP Season 88 campaign against the UE Lady Warriors on Valentine’s Day, February 14, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
For Monares, it is more than a season debut. It is the first step in proving that last year’s heartbreak was not an ending—but a prelude.