Ex-Jaguars honored in intramurals

FOUR former University of the Cordilleras athletes received recognition from their alma mater during the opening rites of their school’s intramurals.

Mix martial arts superstar Eduard Folayang together with Kevin Belingon and Crisanto Pitpitunge were among the honorees during Saturday’s simple opening rites with volleybelle Cindy Benitez.

Folayang, touted as the Manny Pacquiao of MMA, is currently the Universal Reality Combat Championship welterweight champion and is also a three time South East Asian Games gold medalist.

Belingon is the reigning URCC bantamweight champion and is one of the pillars of Team Lakay founded by another UC alumnus, Marques Sangiao, and considered one of the best MMA gyms in Asia.

Called The Slugger, Pitpitunge, is the latest member of Team Lakay’s vaunted squad after winning the PXC bantamweight title last August.

Pitpitunge, who is currently under the PNP Training School in Teachers Camp, is set to defend his title this coming month against Trevin Jones of Guam.

Former UC Lady Jaguars Benitez, the lone female honoree, led the university’s volleyball squad to five straight championships from 2005-2009 in the Baguio–Benguet Educational Athletic League which eventually won the sixth in 2010.

Benitez along with Jennifer Manzano took the Petron Beach Volleyball Battle of Champions last Oct. 5 in Lingayen, Pangasinan after scoring an upset against the top seed University of the East for the title and the right to represent the country in the University Games next year in Russia.