The UST Golden Tigresses are the women's collegiate varsity volleyball team of the UST Growling Tigers, representing the University of Santo Tomas in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). They are one of the UAAP's winningest teams with 16 championships, the last coming in 2010 against the De La Salle Lady Spikers, under coach Shaq delos Santos. Delos Santos returned as the team's head coach on June 3, 2025, replacing Kungfu Reyes, who had guided the team since 2016.
The Tigresses swept their elimination games in 1988, 1993 and 1996 and were declared automatic champions in each of those years. They also have the second most Final Four appearances behind La Salle's 21 and tied with the FEU Lady Tamaraws' 16. UST made seven straight Final Four appearances from 2005 until 2012. Their semifinal streak currently stands at six, beginning in 2019.
The Tigresses also have six Premier Volleyball League championships, with the distinction of being the inaugural winners in 2004 when the tournament was still known as the Shakey’s V-League. They hold the same number of six championships in the UNIGAMES, with back-to-back wins in 2009 and 2010, and then capped by a three-peat from 2016 until 2018.
History The Golden Tigresses’ team colors were derived from UST’s school colors of gold, black, and white, which were in turn inspired by the flag of the Papal States since their pontifical status was obtained in 1902.
The Tigresses who used to be called the Lady Goldies won their first championship in 1974. Even as the men’s volleyball team existed during their time in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the 1920s, the women’s team was only formed in the same year of the sports’ inception in the UAAP in 1938. The 1974 title was the first of three consecutive championships won until 1976. They next achieved an unprecedented seven-year title run from 1984 until 1990 under then coach August Sta. Maria.
Year-by-year highlights 1980 Sta. Maria, who was a former national team player replaced Nurbahasa Gadja as the coach of the Lady Goldies in 1980 and guided the team to a runner-up finish against the FEU Lady Tamaraws in the UAAP.
1987 The Lady Goldies prevented a season sweep by FEU when they won in the last game of the eliminations in four sets. They went on to win the best-of-three Finals series by a two-game sweep to clinch their fourth straight UAAP championship.
UST earlier won the Philippine Amateur Volleyball Association’s Intercollegiate Championship in the preseason for the second straight year. Josie Vasquez was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
1988 The Lady Goldies became automatic champions after scoring a 14–0 season sweep. They defeated FEU in a five-set thriller in the last game of eliminations. They repeated their conquest of the Lady Tamaraws in the National Intercollegiate tournament with a five-set win to bag the championship. Asther Paglinawan was hailed MVP of the tournament.
1990 UST defeated the Adamson Lady Falcons in the Finals to achieve a rare seven-peat in the UAAP. They next won the National Collegiate Championship in the postseason after defeating the TIP Rangerettes in four sets. National team member Natalie Cruz was named MVP of the tournament.
1992 FEU and UST ended the eliminations with identical 12–2 records. All the players from the seven-peat team have already graduated, leaving Coach August Sta. Maria a group of newcomers to the 1992 Finals series. They defeated the Lady Tamaraws in straight sets to take Game One, with attacks from sisters Eden and Elvira Garovillas, Annaliza Yu, and Angeline Lim to close out the third set, 15–10.
The Tigresses who had changed their name from the Lady Goldies at the start of the season repeated over FEU to sweep the best-of-three series in another three-set game to reclaim the championship that was won by the Lady Tamaraws the previous year. It was the team’s blocking and serves that carried them to the win. Maria Luisa Mejia served three straight aces in the second set, while Lim, Mila Rañada, Ana May Calma, and Mylene Cuenca put up a stonewall defense to shut out their opponents, 15–2 in the third set to put the game away in only 50 minutes.
UST became back-to-back champions of the National Intercollegiate Tournament in the preseason in February and the National Open Championship in the postseason in November.
1993 The Tigresses were declared automatic champions again after another 14–0 sweep. They defeated the Lady Tamaraws again in the last game of eliminations in four sets with excellent plays at the net from Yu, Rañada, Cuenca, and Roxanne Pimentel.
In the preseason, they won again over FEU to complete a three-peat of the National Intercollegiate Tournament. After just a month, Mylene Cuenca powered UST to defeat the San Sebastian Lady Stags in three straight sets to bag another three-peat, this time in the National Collegiate Championship. The Lady Stags, however got back at them in the postseason with a three straight-set win, causing them to end up as runners-up in the National Open Championship.
1995 UST went undefeated in the first round of eliminations after winning over rival FEU in a five-set game to tally a 7–0 record. They were however beaten by the De La Salle Lady Spikers in five sets in the second round, preventing them from achieving a season sweep and an automatic championship. The Tigresses ended the eliminations ranked first with a 13–1 record and had faced the FEU Lady Tamaraws once again in the Finals. They lost in two games to finish as runners-up in the UAAP tournament.
1996 The Tigresses defeated FEU in the last game of the eliminations to record another undefeated season at 14–0 and claim an automatic championship. The four-set victory ended two years of their runner-up finishes to the Lady Tamaraws who were back-to-back champions of the 1994 and 1995 seasons. National team member and team captain Roxanne Pimentel led in scoring which was highlighted by her six straight kills at the start of the fourth set. She was named MVP of the season.
1997 The Tigresses won their last 11 games after suffering an opening day three-set loss to the UP Lady Maroons. They faced the FEU Lady Tamaraws in the Finals in a repeat of their last game of the elimination rounds. UST defeated FEU in four sets to place first in the standings with an 11-1 record and gained a twice-to-beat advantage over their opponent. The Lady Tamaraws were able to extend the series after a five-set win over the error-prone Tigresses. UST was held scoreless in the fourth set due to spiking errors by Rosalyn Labay and Janice Namuco. They were able to regroup and successfully defended their 1996 title with a four-set win in the next game. The Tigresses lost the first set, 6-15 and were trailing in the second at 4-12 when rookie Kimberly Racaza was brought in by coach August Sta. Maria to reinforce their front line. She teamed up with Labay, Corrine Canonoy, and Johanna Botor to turn the game around and win the next three sets.
1999, 2000 The Tigresses lost in the Finals to first-time champions La Salle. The Lady Spikers repeated their conquest of UST the following year when they won their Final Four match.
2001 They began their season with two losses in their first three games. After losing to La Salle, they bounced back with a three-set win over the Ateneo Lady Eagles, only to lose again to FEU in their next game. The Lady Tamaraws capitalized on crucial errors by Joyce Calapan and Kate Co Yu Kang in putting away the Tigresses in straight sets.
They next racked up five straight wins, including one over La Salle in the second round before being halted by the undefeated Lady Tamaraws for a 6–3 record. The Tigresses were able to mount another five-game winning run for a tie at second place in the standings, but their Final Four hopes went down the drain when FEU completed a 14–0 season sweep and were declared automatic champions. The Tigresses had one game remaining for the season against the UE Amazons, who they vented their ire on for a three-set win. Joyce Pano, Jocelyn Capati, and Meann Calapan led the team to a 25–18 third set win. They shared the same 11–3 record with La Salle but had to settle for third place in rank due to an inferior quotient.
The Tigresses earlier lost to the Lady Spikers in the National Intercollegiate Tournament Finals in the preseason. UST rallied to prevent a three-set sweep by La Salle and were looking to win in the fourth set. The score was tied at 21–all, but a non-call by the referees on a four-touch violation by their opponents changed the game’s complexion. Down 22–23, the Tigresses scored a point, but quickly committed a service error to yield match point to La Salle. A net violation by UST in the ensuing play ended the championship match at 23–25.
2002 After an opening day loss to reigning titlists FEU in four sets, UST won their next six games to close out the first round with a 6–1 record. They began the next round of eliminations with a five-set win over the UP Lady Maroons, followed by four more wins out of the next five games that they played. After their four-set victory over the Ateneo Lady Eagles, the Tigresses ranked second in the standings with an 11–2 record going into their last game of eliminations. UST needed the win against the league-leading Lady Tamaraws who were undefeated at 13–0 in order to prevent another season sweep and an automatic championship by their upcoming opponent.
The Tigresses put up a tough stand in their four-set loss, with the last set extending to 24–26. In the end, FEU retained their championship and have remained unbeaten in the UAAP in two seasons.
UST won the PRISAA Championship in the preseason in April after defeating FEU, the tournament’s defending champions in four sets. Joyce Pano led her teammates, Jocelyn Capati, Kate Co Yu Kang, the comebacking Theresa Romano, and their graduating captain Kimberly Racaza in a balanced attack and efficient defense at the net. Pano was selected MVP, while Capati took Best Attacker honors.
Later in May, the Tigresses won the National Open Championship against their seniors who were playing for the UST Alumni team in three straight sets. Capati was chosen tournament MVP and Best Blocker, while Pano and Lourdes Palomo were hailed Best Spiker and Best Setter respectively. The Alumni team’s Rosalyn Labay and Cynthia Arceo won the Best Receiver and Best Server awards.
2003 The Tigresses lost to FEU in four sets in the first round to start their season, before winning their next six matches to tie the Lady Tamaraws and the De La Salle Lady Spikers with 6-1 records. La Salle, however ranked first at the end of the first round of eliminations due to a superior quotient over the two teams. UST earlier defeated the Lady Spikers in four sets as they bounced back from their opening day loss and gave La Salle their lone loss in the first round.
The Tigresses repeated over La Salle with a straight-set win in the second round. They led by as high as 12 points in the third set, winning 25-13 to close out the match. UST sped to 11 wins against a single loss to tie FEU at first place, before losing anew to the Lady Tamaraws to end the elimination rounds at second place with a 12-2 record. They faced La Salle in the Final Four with a twice-to-beat advantage, but lost and were eliminated in two games to end the season at third place.
2004