A Former Blue Eagle Returns Home: LA Mumar to Coach Lady Eagles in Season 83

In Season 82 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the Ateneo Lady Eagles failed to make it to the Final Four of the women's basketball tournament and finished with a 5-9 slate. In fact, the Lady Eagles haven't been to the playoffs since Season 78 when they entered as the fourth-seeded team in the stepladder format after beating the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses in a playoff match for the number four spot. Then, Ateneo went on beating the University of the East Lady Warriors before beating the De La Salle Lady Archers in two consecutive games to earn the right to face the National University Lady Bulldogs in the finals.  However, NU went on beating the Lady Eagles in two games- en route to their second straight basketball championship in the women's division.

Since then, it seems that the Lady Eagles have yet to figure things out. 

Is having a new face at the helm help turn things around for Ateneo?

Or rather, a familiar face perhaps?

Taking over from Kat Quimpo- a former Lady Eagle herself, another former Ateneo player will become the head coach of Ateneo's women's team: LA Mumar.

LA, the son of PBA great, Larry Mumar with actress, Coney Reyes, is making his coaching return as he will be tasked of guiding the slumping Lady Eagles back to contention come Season 83. However, the incoming head coach of the Lady Eagles will be handling an Ateneo team that will be without Katrina Guytingco, Alyssa Villamor, Pam Payac, Nic Cancio, and Mel Newsome who all used up their years of eligibility in the UAAP. 

While the women's team of Ateneo has a lot of catching up doing in order to match the success of their counterparts in their men's and juniors' divisions, LA Mumar, who briefly played alongside the likes of Enrico Villanueva and Wesley Gonzales, is optimistic that his team will be able to be a competitive unit come Season 83 and beyond as Mumar said that the players that he will be handling are teachable and are passionate when it comes to the game of basketball. 

The fact that he hails from a family of basketball greats as his grandfather happens to be the late Lauro "The Fox" Mumar who is considered as one of the greatest players of his time alongside the legendary Caloy Loyzaga, we can expect Lawrence Anthony Mumar to bring the "One Big Fight" back to the Lady Eagles. After all, coaching has been in his veins. 

Photo is from ABS CBN Sports