Casiey Dongallo | Photo courtesy of UE Lady Warriors Facebook page
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Casiey Dongallo, a rising collegiate volleyball star from Catmon, Cebu, created a stir in the volleyball community following her high-profile transfer from the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors to the University of the Philippines (UP) Lady Fighting Maroons in the UAAP.
The 5-foot-7 outside hitter, along with her teammates and fellow California Academy Sports standouts Jelai Gajero and Kizzie Madriaga, was among the first wave of players announced to join UP earlier this week.
They are joined by teammates Shammel Gracen Fernandez and Jenalyn Umayam, in what has been described as an exodus from UE.
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The group will undergo a two-semester residency period, as required by UAAP transfer rules, which means they will likely miss a season or two before donning the Lady Fighting Maroons’ jerseys.
For UP, the acquisition of Casiey Dongallo is a significant boost to their roster.
The young phenom has been hailed as the next “Alyssa Valdez” following an exceptional high school career that showed her immense talent and potential.
Dongallo, 19, was first discovered by teacher and coach Vilma Veloso at the Catmon Integrated School.
She quickly rose to prominence, earning the “Most Valuable Player” (MVP) honors at the 2022 Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League, where she led California Academy Sports to a championship.
She continued her stellar run in 2023, being named MVP of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League, where California Academy again emerged as champions. Madriaga and Gajero also earned accolades, winning “Best Setter” and “Best Opposite Hitter,” respectively.
Later that year, Casiey Dongallo committed to the UE Lady Warriors and delivered an impressive freshman season in the UAAP, amassing 291 points and emerging as a candidate for the “Rookie of the Year” award.
She also earned a spot on the Alas Pilipinas Women’s National Volleyball Team roster.
Despite a thumb injury that sidelined her for a significant portion of last year, Casiey Dongallo’s transfer to UP signals a fresh start and a promising future. With her undeniable skills and proven track record, Dongallo along with her teammates could be a huge game-changer for the Lady Fighting Maroons once given the green light to play.