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Middle blocker Kassy Doering, who could have played for Ateneo after gaining the interest of former Blue Eagles head coach and current UP program director Oliver Almadro, is now doing wonders for the Fighting Maroons
MANILA, Philippines – With just a season of eligibility for the UP Fighting Maroons, middle blocker Kassy Doering is making the most out of her one-and-done stint.
Doering, a fifth-year physical education major, unleashed 15 points in a 26-24, 18-25, 19-25, 25-22, 16-14 upset of the De La Salle Lady Spikers on Sunday, April 13.
“We had that fight within us,” Doering told Rappler after the game. “We’re the Fighting Maroons, right? So we’re living up to that name and again, having that grit that we’ve been trying to change in our team culture.”
The Fil-Am scored thrice more than her season average, firing crucial points down the stretch in the deciding set.
The Maroons, with two games to go in their schedule, need to win against last year’s runner-up UST and streaking Adamson to make it to the Final Four.
UP (6-6) trails DLSU (8-4), UST (8-4), and FEU (8-5) in a tight race which has seen only defending champion NU clinch a semifinal spot.
“I think I came in at the right time with the rebuilding UP and I think again like I said the potential has always been there, it was just now we’re finally getting it,” Doering said.
“I’m super proud of my girls, that was an issue before, we were kind of dropped short towards the end of sets or things like that, we just couldn’t finish,” she continued.
“That’s something that we’ve been truly trying to work hard towards, and the fact that now we’re doing it, I’m so proud.”
Could have played for Ateneo
Doering, who graduated from California State University San Marcos with an applied physics degree in 2023, learned from her boyfriend, Jeriel Apelar, that somebody was interested in her in the Philippines.
Apelar played for former Ateneo Blue Eagles head coach Oliver Almadro, who had thought of recruiting Doering as early as 2022 but said that school “brushed off the idea.”
Almadro and Ateneo parted ways in July 2023 and his desire to bring Doering to the Philippines was temporarily shelved.
Hired by UP as its program director a month after, Almadro made recruiting Doering as his first order of business, although she was still recovering from two major injuries — a dislocated rib and a broken ankle — at the time.
After a short discussion, Doering eventually enrolled at State U in 2024. But she witnessed the team’s last-place 1-13 finish in Season 86, on top of other adjustments.
“[I needed to get used to] the heat for one. Mosquitoes, lots of mosquitoes, they love me,” quipped Doering.
“It was really humbling to see the UP students, they work so hard to get into the university, and I was able to come in through a different avenue so it’s very humbling being in each class every day with all these students that work so hard,” she added.
While waiting for Season 87, she was able to watch the men’s basketball tournament, which UP won in a finals rematch with La Salle.
It was then Doering said she got captivated by the boisterous crowd and harbored aspirations that the same would happen with women’s volleyball.
Though still lacking in crowd count compared to UP men’s basketball, people are noticeably increasing in numbers to watch the women’s volleyball squad as the season went by.
“We truly feel their presence and it gives us that extra fight to play even harder,” said Doering.
“Talking with other teammates from previous years saying that, you know, they haven’t seen crowds like this before in their time and so it’s again super special to see from my point of view, and again, we’re always super grateful for everyone.”
Almadro credits Doering for helping bring the grit out of UP.
“She is a legit leader and an intense player,” he said. “She is serious in her craft and she doesn’t mind sweating it off a lot in practice… I admire her as she embraced the role of being a leader.”
Once her playing career is done, Doering plans to turn pro and apply in the upcoming PVL Rookie Draft on June 7, should she successfully prove her Filipino citizenship.
“I plan to play pro here; the how and when is in the works, so we’ll see.” – Rappler.com
