By Andrei M. Barrantes

University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 86 courtside reporter for Far Eastern University (FEU) Mae Reyes has been revealed as Morayta’s correspondent yet again for the upcoming Season 87 in the official collegiate basketball press conference earlier today, September 4, at the Novotel Manila in Quezon City.

“Coming back as a correspondent is one thing, pero (but)  getting to represent FEU once more is definitely another… [Since] season 86 I’ve been here na for a year, so coming back for season 87, mas exciting siya (it’s more exciting), and more room for me to just be better, [to] represent the teams, and mas pagandahin pa ‘yung (to improve the) stories na ikukuwento ko (that I will tell) about them,” Reyes said in an interview with FEU Advocate.

Reyes joins Patrice Dabao of De La Salle University and Ella Regudo from Adamson University as the only returning correspondents from Season 86.

Season 87 marks the first time that all participating UAAP schools will have a homegrown courtside reporter, a welcome change to promote true school representation. 

Previous UAAP seasons saw participating schools represented by correspondents not belonging to their student body, with Season 86 having three correspondents from Ateneo De Manila University representing other schools.

Despite the historic advancement on the UAAP’s broadcasting side, FEU is not new to having a homegrown correspondent, as Morayta has consistently been represented by Tamaraw students at courtside in seasons past, dating back to even before Cignal’s partnership with the UAAP.

According to Reyes, getting to share the feeling of homegrown pride with her new fellow correspondents is something she is looking forward to.

“Well, ‘yun nga, hindi siya bago for FEU and siguro for other schools like the big 4 (Well, it’s not a new feeling for FEU and other schools like the big four), pero (but) to go through this experience with the homegrown [respondents] for NU and for UE, I want to spend this journey and season with them, just to teach them more, and to go through a lot of exciting memories together,” she added.

FEU Athletics Director Mark Molina praised the new batch of correspondents, saying that it is a fitting decision that allows the students in each school to showcase their loyalty.

“It’s a great idea by Cignal, it’s about time, and I’m sure that there will always be qualified correspondents in all of the eight UAAP schools, so it’s great that it finally happened,” he said. 

Reyes and the rest of the Season 87 correspondents are set to begin their courtside stories this weekend, September 7 and 8, with round one of the men’s basketball tournament commencing after the opening ceremony.

(Photo by Gwyneth Mendoza/FEU Advocate)