Softbelles head coach Ana Santiago gets special citation in first PSC all-women sports awards
Date Posted: March 21, 2024 at 01:15 PM
Lady Falcons head coach Ana Santiago was conferred a special award during the Philippine Sports Commission’s first Women in Sports Awards for her notable contributions to the Philippine softball landscape, March 20, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Santiago, widely regarded as one of the most successful head coaches in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), has led the Adamson softball team to the top of the league's in the last ten installments.
Under her guidance, Adamson has secured 15 titles, establishing her as one of the most bemedalled and accomplished figures in collegiate softball.
Recognized as one of the "UAAP greats", Santiago has been an integral part of Adamson's sports legacy. In 2012, she was inducted into the University’s Athletes Hall of Fame, highlighting her significant contributions to the university's athletic program.
Santiago's journey with Adamson began in 1995 when she joined the Lady Falcons softball team and played a pivotal role in the team's success, contributing to their four consecutive UAAP titles from 1997 to 2001 under the leadership of Philippine baseball and softball legend Filomeno “Boy” Codinera.
She later transitioned into coaching, serving as an assistant coach before becoming head coach in 2004.
Under her's leadership, the Lady Falcons continued to dominate the softball scene, bagging more than half of the championships in the last two decades.
Santiago also flexed her coaching prowess on the international stage when she led Team Manila to victory in the Big-League Softball World Series in 2012.
Just two months after leading the Lady Falcons to their tenth consecutive UAAP title and 19th overall championship last year, Santiago was appointed as the head coach of the RP Blu Girls, the country's national women's softball team.
