Kacey Dela Rosa’s collegiate career has already been filled with individual awards and memorable performances, but it was her impact beyond the UAAP that ultimately set her apart this year.
The Ateneo standout will receive a special citation during the Collegiate Press Corps Awards Night presented by Strong Group Athletics, recognizing a year in which she emerged as one of the most important figures in Philippine women’s basketball.
While many athletes spend their offseason recovering from the grind of collegiate competition, Dela Rosa used hers to help push Gilas Pilipinas to new heights across multiple international tournaments.
The recognition comes after another stellar season with Ateneo, where the two-time UAAP Most Valuable Player helped steer the Blue Eagles to a bronze-medal finish in UAAP Season 88. But her biggest accomplishments came after the collegiate campaign ended.
With Gilas Women, Dela Rosa proved she could thrive on bigger stages and under greater responsibility.
Last December, she stepped into a crucial role during the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand, helping the Philippines reclaim the women’s basketball gold medal. Tasked with anchoring the middle in the absence of longtime national team pillar Jack Animam, Dela Rosa helped keep the Filipinas on top of the regional podium.
Her rise continued at the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in France, where the Philippines earned its first-ever victory in an Olympic Qualifying Tournament by defeating Colombia.
Dela Rosa was at the center of that breakthrough, finishing as the team’s leading scorer and rebounder with averages of 15.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game.
Yet her influence extended beyond the traditional five-player game.
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KACEY DOES IT
Ateneo ace and Gilas Pilipinas Women standout Kacey Dela Rosa will receive a special citation at the @cpc_ph Awards Night, presented by @stronggroupathl, on June 29, after a banner year on the international stage.#CPCAwards2026 #GilasPilipinas #UAAPSeason88 pic.twitter.com/fHVJVU7ME5
— Collegiate Press Corps (@cpc_ph) June 22, 2026
The 6-foot-2 forward became one of the cornerstones of Gilas Women’s 3×3 program during a historic stretch that saw the Philippines establish new milestones in the discipline.
She played a key role in the country’s silver-medal finish at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup, the best result ever achieved by the Philippine women’s team in the continental tournament. Across five games, she averaged 6.2 points and 4.8 rebounds while helping the Filipinas reach the championship round.
That momentum carried over into the World Cup qualifying tournament in Singapore, where Gilas secured another berth in the FIBA 3×3 World Cup.
Most recently, Dela Rosa was part of the squad that delivered another historic moment in Warsaw, Poland. Alongside Afril Bernardino, Camille Clarin, and Mikka Cacho, she helped the Philippines notch its first-ever victory in the Women’s FIBA 3×3 World Cup with a breakthrough win over Italy.
Those achievements transformed Dela Rosa from a dominant collegiate player into one of the country’s most impactful international performers.
The CPC’s special citation serves as recognition of a year in which she successfully bridged both worlds—continuing to excel in the UAAP while helping Gilas Women rewrite pieces of Philippine basketball history.
Dela Rosa will be honored alongside the best performers from the UAAP and NCAA in basketball, volleyball, and football during the annual awards ceremony at Discovery Suites Manila.
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