National University is once again entrusting its women’s volleyball program to one of its most successful tactician, bringing back Norman Miguel as head coach in hopes of steering the Lady Bulldogs back to the UAAP summit.
The school announced on Monday that Miguel will return for another stint with the program and take over the reins for UAAP Season 89, replacing Regine Diego, who will transition to an assistant coaching role.
The appointment continues a remarkable trend within the NU program, which will have a different head coach for the third consecutive season despite remaining one of the league’s premier contenders.
Miguel inherits a squad that came close to reclaiming the championship last season. Under Diego, the Lady Bulldogs compiled a 10-4 elimination-round record before advancing to the Finals, where they settled for a runner-up finish after falling to the De La Salle Lady Spikers.
While the result fell short of the program’s championship standard, NU remained firmly among the UAAP’s elite, setting the stage for Miguel’s latest return.
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LEADERSHIP SHIFT IN JHOCSON!
Norman Miguel has been named the new head coach of the NU Lady Bulldogs, taking over the reins from Regine Diego.
Diego remains with the team as part of the coaching staff. #UAAPSeason89 pic.twitter.com/2qVcuWTrff
— 𝐕𝐓 (@volleytiger) July 20, 2026
Few coaches are as familiar with the Lady Bulldogs’ culture as Miguel. His first stint came during UAAP Seasons 81 and 82, before he returned in Season 86, where he immediately guided NU back to the top of Philippine collegiate volleyball.
That campaign saw the Lady Bulldogs sweep the UST Golden Tigresses in the championship series behind Most Valuable Player Bella Belen and Finals MVP Alyssa Solomon, restoring NU as the league’s dominant force.
Miguel’s return also adds another chapter to the Lady Bulldogs’ revolving coaching history during their most successful era.
Karl Dimaculangan ended the school’s 65-year title drought by steering NU to the Season 84 championship. Miguel then reclaimed the title during his one-season return in Season 86, before Sherwin Meneses delivered another championship in Season 87 during his own one-year stint.
Diego took over in Season 88, guiding the Lady Bulldogs back to the Finals but ultimately falling short of another championship.
Now, the responsibility shifts back to Miguel, who faces the challenge of turning another Finals appearance into a title-winning campaign.
With a roster expected to remain among the strongest in the UAAP, NU is banking on a coach who has already proven he can deliver championships, hoping familiarity and continuity will once again translate into another banner for the Lady Bulldogs in Season 89.
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