Ateneo Blue Eagles

Collegiate varsity teams of the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Ateneo Blue Eagles are the collegiate varsity teams of the Ateneo de Manila University that play in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the premiere collegiate league in the Philippines. The Ateneo collegiate men's varsity basketball team was not always called the Blue Eagles. It got the name Blue Eagles when Ateneo adopted the Eagle as its mascot in 1938. Prior to that, from 1914 it was known under different names.

SchoolAteneo de Manila University
LeagueUAAP
Joined1978
(NCAA founding member – 1924)
LocationKatipunan Avenue,
Loyola Heights, Quezon City
Quick facts School, League ...
Ateneo Blue Eagles
Logo of Ateneo Blue Eagles
SchoolAteneo de Manila University
LeagueUAAP
Joined1978
(NCAA founding member – 1924)
LocationKatipunan Avenue,
Loyola Heights, Quezon City
Venue/sMoro Lorenzo Sports Center
Blue Eagle Gym
Team colorsBlue and white
   
Fight songBlue Eagle the King
Women's teamBlue Eagles
Juniors' teamBlue Eagles
Seniors' general championships
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Ateneo has fifteen collegiate men's varsity teams that participate in fifteen sporting events of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, its mother league.

Team identity

Team monikers

When Ateneo started to participate in intercollegiate sports in 1914, its varsity basketball teams were simply referred to by the school community as the Ateneo Seniors and Ateneo Juniors. They were later dubbed the Blue and Whites by the sports press in the early 1920s when Ateneo joined sports leagues. When Ateneo adopted the Eagle as its mascot in 1938, the college team was given a new name: Blue Eagles. The Ateneo Blue Eagles are sometimes called the Hail Mary Quintet by the sports press. This moniker was given to the Blue Eagles in 1926 when sports press noticed that the team would pray the Hail Mary (as the school’s patroness is the Immaculate Conception) during game time-outs and would win by the skin of their teeth.[1][2]

Ateneo is one of the four UAAP member schools that participate in all of the fifteen sporting events of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. Until 2020, The Guidon, the school's official student publication, gave specific names to differentiate the various varsity teams.[3] However, beginning with UAAP Season 84 in May 2022, Ateneo de Manila University officially decided to unify student athletes and varsity teams under the "Blue Eagles" moniker moving forward, regardless of sport, gender, or age group.[4][5][6][7]

Former sport–specific monikers
More information Sport, Men ...
Sport Men Women
Basketball Blue Eagles Lady Eagles
Football Blue Booters Lady Booters
Volleyball Blue Spikers Lady Eagles
Beach Volleyball Blue Beach Spikers Lady Beach Spikers
Baseball Blue Batters No team
Softball No team Lady Batters
Badminton Blue Shuttlers Lady Shuttlers
Tennis Blue Netters Lady Netters
Table Tennis Blue Paddlers Lady Paddlers
Track & Field Blue Tracksters Lady Tracksters
Swimming Blue Tankers Lady Tankers
Fencing Blue Fencers Lady Fencers
Judo Blue Judokas Lady Judokas
Taekwondo Blue Jins Lady Jins
Chess Blue Woodpushers Lady Woodpushers
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Mascot and colors

Ateneo has long been involved in intercollegiate sports dating back to 1914. It was a pioneer in Philippine collegiate sports. Ateneo was the first Philippine school to adopt a mascot, and was also the first school to field an organized cheering squad with cheerleaders which was later followed by another first when it introduced a Pep Band to augment the cheerleaders during games.[8][9][10][11]

The choice of an eagle as school mascot holds iconic significance. Conferred with the title "the King", the Blue Eagle is a reference to the "high-flying" Ateneo varsity teams which would "swoop down on the foe and sweep up the fields away" as a dominating force in the field of sports. Furthermore, there is some mythological significance to the eagle as a symbol of power.[10]

The school used to have live eagles as pets in the former Padre Faura campus and later on at the Grade School campus in Loyola Heights. A live Philippine eagle would lead the men's varsity basketball team at the start of a game in the NCAA as the team enters the basketball court for their warm-up with the school Band playing the fight song, "Blue Eagle – The King". This tradition that began in the 1960s was replaced in the late 1980s due to wildlife concerns. One of the donors of the eagles was Mayor Dick Gordon straight from his private estate in Olongapo, of which the stuffed eagle has since been displayed at the school Biology laboratory.[12] A mascot was made in its stead.[10] Blue and White, being the colors of the school's patroness, the Blessed Virgin Mary, were chosen as the school's colors.

Thus, blue and white are the colors of the uniforms of the varsity teams. Most of the school songs, yells and cheers have the words blue and white.

Athletic associations

Collegiate leagues

The Ateneo de Manila University is a member of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, the premiere sports league in the country. It fields teams in all fifteen sporting events of the league. Ateneo was a founding member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which was established in 1924. It left the NCAA in 1978 due to the league-wide violence prevalent at the time, and then joined the UAAP in the same year.[13]

Other tournaments

Aside from the UAAP, the Ateneo Blue Eagles also participate during the UAAP preseason in other sports leagues/tournaments such as the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup, V-League, Shakey's Super League, and Ang Liga.[14]

Team sports

Basketball

Main article: Ateneo Blue Eagles men's basketball

Volleyball

The Ateneo Volleyball Program enjoyed a modest success in the NCAA, having won a total of nine championships during a ten-year period from 1967 to 1976. The men's team had two titles and one from the women's, while the juniors team had won six titles. Ateneo dominated NCAA volleyball in the mid-1970s. In the UAAP, Ateneo has won five championships so far since transferring from the NCAA in 1978. These titles were won by the Lady Eagle Spikers in Season 76 (2013–14),[15] Season 77 (2014–15)[16] and Season 81 (2018–19)[17] and by the Blue Eagle Spikers in Season 77 (2014–15),[18] Season 78 (2015–16) and Season 79 (2016–17), finally ending a title drought of more than 30 years in UAAP volleyball.[19]

Championships

More information Men's, Reference ...
Men's Reference
NCAA (2)
  • Season 51 (1975–76)
  • Season 52 (1976–77)
 [20]
[18]
UAAP (3)
  • Season 77 (2014–15)
  • Season 78 (2015–16)
  • Season 79 (2016–17)
Women's
NCAA (1) Season 52 (1976–77) [15]
[16]
[17]
[20]
UAAP (3)
  • Season 76 (2013–14)
  • Season 77 (2014–15)
  • Season 81 (2018–19)
Close

Double Championships

More information Men's / Women's, Reference ...
Men's / Women's Reference
NCAA Season (1) Season 52 (1976–77) [20]
UAAP Season (1) Season 77 (2014–15) [16]
[18]
Close

UAAP Finals Appearances

More information Finals Appearances, Ref. ...
Finals Appearances Ref.
Men's (5)
  • Season 76 (2013–14)
  • Season 77 (2014–15)
  • Season 78 (2015–16)
  • Season 79 (2016–17)
  • Season 80 (2017–18)
 [21]
Women's (7)
  • Season 74 (2011–12)
  • Season 75 (2012–13)
  • Season 76 (2013–14)
  • Season 77 (2014–15)
  • Season 78 (2015–16)
  • Season 79 (2016–17)
  • Season 81 (2018–19)
 [22][23][15][16][24][25][17]
Close
The Ateneo Blue Eagles Men's Volleyball Team
Main article: Ateneo Blue Eagles men's volleyball
The Ateneo Blue Eagles Women's Volleyball Team
Main article: Ateneo Blue Eagles women's volleyball

Football

The Ateneo varsity football teams have won a total 19 championships, 9 in the NCAA and 10 in the UAAP. In the NCAA, the seniors have won 6 titles. The men's team were the first to win a football championship in the NCAA when they won the title on the maiden season of the NCAA in 1924. They also won their first back-to-back (1953 and 1954) championship in the NCAA. In the UAAP, the seniors (men) have won 8 titles. The men's team were three-peat champions after winning in Seasons 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06, a record that still holds today. Football was introduced in the UAAP Juniors Division as a demonstration sport in season 70 (2007–08) and declared a regular sport in season 72 (2009–10). Dov Cariño went on to represent the Philippines national football team in the 2024 ASEAN Championship where he make his debut on 18 December 2024 against Vietnam becoming the first person to played for the national team while still in the team.

Football Championships

Notable football players

Men's Division
Women's Division

Baseball

Baseball Championships

More information Men's, NCAA Season (2) ...
Men's
NCAA Season (2)
  • 1927–28
  • 1965–66
UAAP Season (4)
  • 2012–13
  • 2013–14
  • 2014–15
  • 2016–17
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Notable baseball players

Men's Division

UAAP Championships Record

The following tables show the rankings history of the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP since Season 50, while full statistics are available for Seasons 68 onwards.

Collegiate division

  • Gold border denotes general championship season.
  • Red border denotes host of the season.

X – Cancelled
* – Did Not Participate
- – Not part of UAAP sports calendar
Italics – Demonstration sport (no points toward general championship)

1987–1995

When Ateneo first joined the UAAP in 1978, only ten sports were included in the league calendar, including softball which was discontinued from 1985 to 1995.

UAAP SeasonCollegiate DivisionOverall rank
BasketballVolleyballSwimmingChessTennisTable tennisBaseballFootballAthleticsTotal
Points		Rank
M WMWMWMMMWMMMW--
501st2nd5th5th
511st5th4th
524th4th2nd
533rd5th5th
545th5th4th
555th6th6th
566th8th6th6th7th
576th6th5th6th6th

1995–2005

Combat sports including taekwondo, judo, and fencing were introduced throughout the mid-1990s along with the introduction of badminton, women's chess, women's tennis, women's football, and the reintroduction of softball.

UAAP SeasonCollegiate DivisionOverall rank
BasketballVolleyballSwimmingChessTennisTable tennisBadmintonTaekwondoJudoBaseballSoftballFootballAthleticsFencingTotal PointsRank
M WMWMWMWMWMWMWMWMWMWMWMWMW--
587th8th5th––1st6th1st––
595th7th*6th6th4th8th–4th–7th8th1st2ndT55th6th5th2nd2nd6th7th2nd–1314th
606th8th*––1st6th6th2nd–
616th7th8th8th4th4th7th7th4th–8th8th4th3rd5th3rd3rd3rd6th1st4th7th7th–1276th
623rd8th8th–6th2nd–1197th
633rd8th8th1st–6th2nd
642nd8th6th1st–6th3rd75.56th
651st8th6th5th2nd1745th
662nd8th6th1st6th1st1696th
672nd2nd8th7th1st4th1st2014th

2005–present

The final UAAP sports were added throughout the new millennium including beach volleyball, poomsae, 3x3 basketball, and blitz chess.

UAAP SeasonCollegiate DivisionOverall rank
Basketball3X3 BasketballVolleyballBeach volleyballSwimmingChessBlitz chessTennisTable tennisBadmintonTaekwondoJudoBaseballSoftballFootballAthleticsFencingTotal PointsRank
M WMWMWMWMWMWMWMWMWMWMWCMWMWMWMWMW--
682nd1st––8th5th––3rd4th7th6th––4th4th6th3rd6th6th5th5th–4th5th3rd6th1st5th3rd3rd4th2nd2084th
692nd3rd––5th5th––3rd3rd7th4th––3rd3rd5th4th3rd4th4th4th–3rd3rd5th5th4th4th3rd6th1st3rd2193rd
703rd1st––7th4th5th2nd4th2nd7th7th––4th2nd7th6th6th6th3rd4th–3rd2nd5th6th2nd4th3rd6th5th2nd2134th
711st6th––4th5thT77th4th1st8th6th––4th3rd6th5th6th7th2nd4th–1st5th3rd5th6th4th4th3rd2nd1st197.55th
721st6th––3rd3rd7th5th2nd2nd8th2nd––4th3rd7th4th3rd8th3rd5th–1st4th6th5th4th5th3rd4th5th2nd2224th
731st7th––6th4th7th6th3rd2nd5th6th––3rd2nd7th5th2nd7th5th6th–1st5th4th5th6th4th4th4th2nd3rd2065th
741st5th––7th2nd8th2nd3rd2nd7th3rd––6th4th7th5th1st2nd5th6th–3rd5th2nd5th5th5th5th6th5th5th2075th
751st4th––6th2nd7th7th1st2nd7th7th––6th5th7th6th2nd1st6th7th–4th5th1st7th1st4th6th6th2nd5th2053rd
765th8th––2nd1st6th3rd3rd2nd7th8th––5th5th8th6th1st1st6th5th3rd1st2nd1st7th7th3rd5th6th3rd4th2244th
774th5th––1st1st5th8th1st1st6th8th––6th5th8th6th3rd2nd6th7th5th2nd2nd1st7th4th3rd7th7th7th3rd2164th
783rd2nd––1st2nd1st3rd1st1st7th8th––4th3rd8th8th3rd2nd5th6th5th1st4th2nd7th2nd3rd6th7th6th6th2383rd
792nd6th––1st2nd6th8th1st2nd7th8th––4th4th8th8th2nd2nd7th3rd5th2nd5th1st7th1st3rd6th6th4th2nd2333rd
801st6th6th3rd2nd3rd4th5th1st1st8th8th––2nd2nd8th8th3rd3rd6th2nd5thT15th3rd7th3rd4th6th5th5th4th228.54th
811st6th1st5th3rd1st7th5th1st1st7th8th––2nd3rd8th6th3rd1st6th5th6th2nd5th2nd7th1st5th6th6th3rd1st237T3
821st6thXXXX8th3rd1st1st8th4th––XX7th2nd2nd1st5th6th6th3rd5thXXXXXX2nd3rd1623rd
83Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
842nd–6th5th–3rd5th––5th4th–––––––––––5th––––––––––585th
851st4th8th3rd5th6th3rd7th1st3rd5th3rd––2nd4th2nd3rd2nd1st6th6th3rd4th4th6th4th2nd5th8th8th3rd5th2484th
864th4th8th5th5th5th4th5th1st2nd2nd3rd––2nd4th2nd2nd1st1st6th6th5th4th3rd3rd5th4th4th8th8th5th5th2504th
878th4th8th1st5th7th7th6th1st1st5th4th4th1st5th5th2nd3rd2nd2nd6th4th5th4th4th6th5th2nd5th7th8th5th5th2184th
886th3rd2nd3rd4th7th3rd5th1st2nd4th5th4th3rd7th5th2nd4th1st1st3rd6th5th3rd5th6th5th5th3rd5th8th5th5thTBDTBD

Special Events

UAAP SeasonCollegiate Division
CheerdanceStreetdanceEsportsGolfBallroom Formation
C C2KVMLMWC
576th–––––––
587th–––––––
595th–––––––
60––––––––
614th–––––––
626th–––––––
637th–––––––
646th–––––––
655th–––––––
664th–––––––
674th–––––––
687th–––––––
695th–––––––
704th–––––––
714th–––––––
722nd–––––––
734th3rd––––––
747th3rd––––––
755th*––––––
768th–––––––
778th2nd––––––
788th4th––––––
797th6th–––––*
808th6th––––––
817th7th–––––*
827thX––––––
83Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
848th–––––––
858th5th–––––*
868th4th1st3rdT7–––
878th5th1st3rdT7–––
888th4thTBDTBDTBDTBDTBD–

Championships

Overall/General Championships
Ateneo has not won a UAAP General Championship in the seniors division since joining the UAAP in 1978. Its best finish was a third place in Season 75 (2012–13) and Season 79 (2016–17).

  • Seniors:
    • NCAA (1) – 1968–69
3x3 Basketball Championships
  • Men's: (Tournaments from 2017–18 until 2018–19 were classified as a Demonstration Sport)
    • UAAP (1) – 2018–19
  • Women's:
    • UAAP (1) - 2024-2025
Athletics Championships
  • Men's: (Tournaments from 1925–26 until 1952–53 consisted of events in relay and track and field)
    • NCAA (9) – 1925–56 (relay), 1934–35 (relay), 1949–50 (T/F), 1960–61, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70
Badminton Championships
  • Men's:
    • UAAP (6) – 1995–96, 1996–97, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2023–24[26], 2025–26
  • Women's:
    • UAAP (8) – 2003–04, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2022–23, 2023–24[26], 2025–26
Baseball Championships
  • Men's:
    • NCAA (2) – 1927–28, 1965–66
    • UAAP (4) – 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17
Basketball Championships
  • Men's:
    • NCAA (14) – 1928–29, 1931–32, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1937–38, 1941–42, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1961–62, 1969–70, 1975–76, 1976–77
    • UAAP (12) – 1987–88, 1988–89, 2002–03, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2022–23[27][28]
  • Women's:
    • UAAP (2) – 2005–06, 2007–08
Beach Volleyball Championships
  • Men's:
    • UAAP (1) – 2015–16
Esports Championships
  • NBA 2K:
    • UAAP (2) – 2024–25, 2025–26
Fencing Championships
  • Women's:
    • UAAP (2) – 2006–07, 2018–19
Football Championships
  • Men's:
    • NCAA (6) – 1924–25, 1941–42, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1967–68
    • UAAP (8) – 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2012–13, 2016–17, 2018–19
Judo Championships
  • Men's:
    • UAAP (8) – 1997–98, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18
Swimming Championships
  • Men's:
    • UAAP (11) – 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25[29], 2025–26
  • Women's:
    • UAAP (7) – 2008–09, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2024–25
Tennis Championships
  • Men's:
    • NCAA (1) – 1939–40
    • UAAP (2) – 2000–01, 2001–02
Volleyball Championships
  • Men's:
    • NCAA (2) – 1975–76, 1976–77
    • UAAP (3) – 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17
  • Women's:
    • NCAA (1) – 1976–77
    • UAAP (3) – 2013–14, 2014–15, 2018–19

Sports traditions

The Ateneo has several traditions related to sports. Most of these traditions have been introduced by the American Jesuits after they took over the administration of Ateneo in 1912.

References

External links

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