Former Sta. Lucia Lady Realtor Amanda Villanueva Retires After 18-Year Career

For any athlete to be able to play for 18 years, that's already an achievement. That's the case for Amanda Villanueva who refers to volleyball that "became her ticket to endless possibilities."

Thursday marked an end of an 18-year volleyball career for the 28-year old Villanueva as she announced that she is hanging her jersey for good. In her post on her social media accounts, she said "I am officially signing off as a pro-athlete." 

From one collegiate team to the other, from one league to the other, Amanda Villanueva proved that she is a multi-talented spiker whether it's on the sand or on the hardcourt as she was able to bring the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) beach volleyball title for the Adamson Lady Falcons back in 2013 alongside Bang Pineda. Villanueva also became one of the most recognizable figures in the volleyball program of the Lady Falcons as Adamson was able to reach the Final Four from 2013 to 2014. Before playing in San Marcelino, Amanda Villanueva was recruited by the De La Salle University and played for La Salle's beach volleyball team in 2010 when she had Cha Cruz-Behag as her teammates. Villanueva bounced from one league to the other before making the jump to the Philippine SuperLiga (PSL), playing for the Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors which turned out to be her final spike for Philippine volleyball. 

While Villanueva didn't reveal what her future plans are after volleyball, she remains thankful for the sports. "Thank you, volleyball. Thank you to the community. You will always be in my heart. Cheers to life!" she wrote. 

Cheers indeed to your longevity and success in volleyball, Amanda. 

Photo is from Manila Bulletin