Kim Niño Malabunga (born May 8, 1996) is a Filipino volleyball athlete. He played with NU Bulldogs collegiate men's University team. He is currently playing for the Criss Cross King Crunchers in the Spikers' Turf.
Early life Kim Malabunga was born on May 8, 1996 in Quezon.
Career Collegiate Malabunga play as the middle blocker for the Bulldogs of the National University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
He played his last playing year with Bulldogs in UAAP Season 81 in 2019, where they won their second consecutive championship title against the FEU Tamaraws in the Finals.
Club Megabuilders Volley Bolts Malabunga played for the Megabuilders Volley Bolts in the 2017 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference. He was named Best Middle Blocker for the tournament. Philippine Air Force Malabunga has been with the Philippine Air Force of the Spikers' Turf as early as the 2019 Reinforced Conference He later played for Air Force in the 2021 PNVF Champions League.
VNS Malabunga played for the VNS Griffins of the Spikers' Turf in 2022. AMC Cotabato The AMC Cotabato Spikers acquired the services of Malabunga for the 2022 PNVF Champions League. Imus AJAA Spikers Malabunga returned to the Spikers' Turf suiting up for the Imus City–AJAA Spikers in the 2023 Open Conference. Criss Cross King Crunchers In early 2024, Malabunga changed his Spikers' Turf club moving to the Criss Cross King Crunchers in the lead up to the 2024 Open Conference.
He got injured in the 2024 Invitational Conference in October. He has recovered by the semifinals of the 2025 Open Conference.
Malabanga helped Criss Cross win two consecutive titles. The latest being the 2026 Open Conference title.
National team Malabunga has played for the Philippine national team. He was part of the team which won the silver medal at the 2019 SEA Games hosted in the Philippines.
At the first leg of the 2024 SEA Men's V.League, Malabunga was named as the tournament's second best middle blocker.
Malabunga was part of the host country's team at the 2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship. A noted part of his national career was the near win against Iran in the last group stage game where he appeared to make a crucial block. It was contested by Iran and later judged to be a net touch. The Philippines lost the match and failed to secure a historic Round of 16 appearance.
Clubs Philippine Air Force Air Spikers (2017, 2019–2021) Megabuilders Volley Bolts (2017) Vice Co. Blockbusters (2018) VNS-One Alicia Griffins (2022) AMC Cotabato Spikers (2022) Imus City–AJAA Spikers (2023) Criss Cross King Crunchers (2024–present)
Awards Individual YearLeagueSeason/ConferenceAwardRef 2015Spikers' Turf Collegiate 1st Best Middle Blocker 2016 Collegiate 2nd Best Middle Blocker 2017PVL Open 1st Best Middle Blocker Collegiate2nd Best Middle Blocker 2019Spikers' Turf Reinforced2022PNVF Champions League 2024 SEA V.League 1st Leg
Collegiate YearLeagueSeason/ConferenceTitleRef 2015Spikers' Turf Collegiate Runner-up2016UAAP 78 Runner-upSpikers' Turf Collegiate Runner-up 2017UAAP 79 Runner-up 2018 80 Champions 2018 PVL Collegiate Champions 2019 UAAP 81 Champions
Clubs YearLeagueSeason/ConferenceClubTitleRef2017PVL Reinforced Philippine Air Force Air Spikers Runner-up Open Megabuilders Volley Bolts Runner-up 2018Spikers' Turf Open Vice Co. Blockbusters 3rd place 2019 Open Philippine Air Force Air Spikers Runner-up 2021PNVF Champions League Go for Gold-Air Force Aguilas Runner-up 2022 Champions League Pikit-North Cotabato G-Spikers Runner-up 2023Spikers' Turf OpenImus City–AJAA Spikers 3rd place2024 OpenCriss Cross King Crunchers Runner-up Invitational Runner-up2025 Open Runner-up
External links Kim Malabunga at the FIVB
References