# Benilde Blazers and Lady Blazers

The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Blazers and Lady Blazers are the NCAA senior varsity teams of De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde.
The Blazers were formerly a member of the National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) before being admitted to the NCAA in 1998. They then went on to win their first NCAA seniors basketball title in 2000, the fastest for an expansion squad.
The college's male juniors team are referred to as the Benilde–LSGH Junior Blazers (officially the Benilde–LSGH Greenies) of La Salle Green Hills.
Almost all sports programs of the Blazers excel in their events, leading to the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde winning its first ever General Championship in NCAA Season 81, and again in NCAA Season 83, NCAA Season 84, NCAA Season 89, and NCAA Season 90.

## Name

As homage to the school which introduced several pioneering degree programs in the country, the college adopted the BLAZERS as their moniker. It is a short term for Trailblazers, which emphasizes the college's commitment to set a standard for innovative quality education as well as sports development.

## With the La Salle Green Hills Greenies

When De La Salle University selected De La Salle Santiago Zobel School as its junior affiliate team when it entered the UAAP in 1986, La Salle Green Hills was left without membership in either the UAAP or the NCAA, thus starting a 17-year drought in a major collegiate league since its formal withdrawal from the NCAA in 1981.
De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde, a member school of the De La Salle University System, applied for admission to the NCAA through the efforts of the System President Br. Andrew Gonzalez, FSC, the Greenies were selected as the junior team by then LSGH President Br. Bernard Oca FSC. Both De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and La Salle Green Hills were admitted to the NCAA in 1998.
The La Salle Greenies (officially the CSB–LSGH Junior Blazers in the NCAA) is the junior affiliate team of the St. Benilde Blazers. Since DLS–CSB is not directly connected with its high school affiliate, except that they are both administered by the Lasallian Christian Brothers, LSGH labels "St. Benilde" instead of "La Salle" on their jerseys.
The Blazers' senior varsity uniforms added the initials 'LSGH' in their uniforms, starting with Season 89, and during games, the CSB Green Pepper Squad began to distribute clappers with 'La Salle' written on them. These were done to further connect both schools and their Lasallian roots.
In addition, beginning with Season 86, the Blazers replaced black with green as their primary uniform color, in time for the centennial anniversary of Lasallian education in the Philippines. Black remains an accent color.

## With De La Salle Zobel in WNCAA

In contrast to their men's junior counterparts, DLSZ represents College of St. Benilde in the WNCAA since the NCAA didn't have women's basketball in their scheme.
The De La Salle Lady Junior Archers have been the WNCAA Junior Division Champions for eight straight years, from 1993 to 2000 and again in 2004.

## Saint Benilde - San Sebastian Rivalry

This short-lived rivalry was sparked when DLS-CSB, who only joined the league in 1998, met the San Sebastian College–Recoletos (or simply Baste) in the finals of 2000 and 2002. CSB won the 2000 Finals, bannered by what is dubbed as the best CSB Blazers team ever assembled. With former NCAA MVP Sunday Salvacion, Jondan Salvador, and Al Magpayo, the Blazers beat the formidable San Sebastian Stags and won their first NCAA seniors basketball championship title, despite joining the league 2 seasons earlier. This marks the fastest win for any new school in the league since WWII.
However, the Stags avenged their defeat and defeated the Blazers in the 2002 Finals. The Golden Stags, led by graduating players Christian Coronel, Nurjanjam Alfad, Paul Reguerra, Roy Falcasantos, and Bernardo Mercado, swept the Blazers, 2–0. Mercado later joined SSC-R's coaching staff as an assistant coach. Leomar Najorda was adjudged as the 2002 NCAA Men's Basketball tournament Finals MVP.

## NCAA General Champions

As of 2015, the CSB Blazers have earned five General Championships, winning three of these in a span of four years, being runners-up to PCU in the 2006–07 season. They won double championships with LSGH in NCAA Season 83 (2007–08 season) and NCAA Season 84 (2008–09 season). The Blazers won more Seniors General Championships in NCAA Season 89 (2013–14 season) and NCAA Season 90 (2014-15 season).
Their junior counterparts, LSGH, won two General Championships as De La Salle College and the other eight General Championship as LSGH. As the DLS–CSB juniors team, LSGH has won four General Championships.

## NCAA Season 82 hosting

De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde served hosting rights for the first time in the 2006–2007 season of the NCAA, with the theme "Proud and True at 82: Blazing Beyond Limits". Under the leadership of the Sports and Development Office (SDO), the Benildean community flocked to fill the Araneta Coliseum on opening day. The number of Benildeans in the arena was only rivaled by that of the NCAA 2000 finals, as the Dome was rocked by chants of "Animo Benilde!".
The College again hosted the NCAA after one rotation, in NCAA Season 89, and again in NCAA Season 97.
Blazie, the official mascot of the 82nd NCAA season, was created by the DLS-CSB Multimedia Arts students and Marketing Communications Office (MCO) student staff Charmaine Collen Hao.

## CSB pep squad and NCAA cheerleading competition

The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde's pep squad has been officially known as the CSB Green Peppers (from 2005) and then later on as the CSB Pep Squad (since 2007).
Since the inception of the event, the CSB Pep Squad has always placed last (7th) from 2004 and 2005, were suspended by the school in 2006, 6th in 2007, and then placed their highest rank ever as second runner-up in 2008.
Select members of the CSB pep squad, along with the DLSU, LSGH and DLSZ pep squads, performed together at halftime of Game 1 of the La Salle-Ateneo UAAP Finals on September 18, 2008, in commemoration of Saint Benilde's 20th anniversary, De La Salle Zobel's 30th anniversary, and the incoming 100th anniversary of the De La Salle schools in the Philippines in 2011.

## Basketball
### Notable players

* Sunday Salvacion - 1999 NCAA Rookie of the Year, 2002 NCAA Mythical Five Selection and Most Valuable Player.
* Alejandro Magpayo - 2000 NCAA Rookie of the Year, 2003 NCAA Mythical Five Selection and Defensive Player of the Year.
* Mark Magsumbol - 2000 NCAA Finals Most Valuable Player.
* Jondan Salvador - 2001 NCAA Mythical Five Selection.
* Oliver Agapito - played with the Red Bull Barako and the Sta. Lucia Realtors.
* Ernie Jay Sagad - 2004 NCAA Mythical Five Selection, 2005 NCAA Most Valuable Player.
* Lou Gatumbato - Played with Air21 Express and Barako Bull Energy.
* Ronald Capati - Played with Coca-Cola Tigers and Saigon Heat.
* Estilitus Mendoza - 2000 NCAA Champion.
* Carlo Lastimosa - Played for the Barako Bull Energy, Blackwater Elite, NLEX Road Warriors and Columbian Dyip.
* David Licauco - Played with CSB Blazers Team B.
* Kiko Estrada - Played with CSB Blazers Team B.
* AJ Perez - Played with CSB Blazers Team B.
* Paolo Taha - Current player for the NorthPort Batang Pier.
* Jonathan Grey - Played for the Meralco Bolts and GlobalPort/NorthPort Batang Pier.
* Will Gozum - 2022 NCAA Most Valuable Player.
* Miguel Corteza - Current player for the Blackwater Bossing.
* Prince Carlos - Current analyst for the NCAA basketball tournament.
* JC Cullar - Current assistant coach for the Blazers.
* Miguel Oczon - Current player for the Ulsan Hyundai.

### Coaches

* Adriano "Bong" Go (1998–2000)
* Dong Vergeire (2000–03)
* Tonichi Yturri (2003–05)
* Caloy Garcia (2005–07)
* Gee Abanilla (2008–09, on leave for the 2009 season and former head coach of the De La Salle Green Archers during the 2012–13 season)
* Richard del Rosario (2009–2013)
* Gabby Velasco (2013–2016)
* TY Tang (2017–2021, former PBA player and member of the De La Salle Green Archers team that won the championship in 2007)
* Charles Tiu (2021–present)

## WNCAA Senior Division women's basketball

The 1997 line-up of the Lady Blazers basketball team holds the honor of giving College of Saint Benilde its very first championship in women's basketball by beating rival Lyceum College on October 12, 1997. The following year, they were crowned WNCAA's back-to-back champions.
Notable players
* Jean Cruz- 2016 Women's PBA 3x3, Played with Blackwater
Coaches
* Antonio "Tatang" Mendoza (1994–1996)
* Cholo Martin (1996-1997)
* Angelina "Piao" Fedilliaga (1998–2009)

## Volleyball

* NCAA Season 91 women's volleyball champions
* Jannine Navarro, Djanel Welch Cheng (c), Rachel Anne Austrero, Diane Ventura, Chelsea Anne Umali, Jeanette Panaga, Melanie Torres, Jane Frances Borrero, Chelsea Chloe Santillan, Christine Danielle Lim, Ellaine Monica Dolorito, Bianca Gabrielle Lizares, Jan Arianne Daguil, Ranya Musa Head coach: Michael "Macky" Cariño
* NCAA Season 97 women's volleyball champions
* Mycah Go (c), Chenae Basarte, Cathrina Dizon, Michelle Gamit, Kim Alison Estenzo, Queen Ann Salmon, Angelika Mondejar, Jade Gentapa, Cloanne Sophia Mondoñedo, Fiona Naomi Getigan, Jhasmin Gayle Pascual, Ma. Camill Avila, Corrine Alysson Apostol, Cristy Ondangan Head coach: Jerry Yee
* NCAA Season 98 women's volleyball champions
* Cloanne Sophia Mondoñedo (c), Mycah Go, Chenae Basarte, Michelle Gamit, Kim Alison Estenzo, Fiona Naomi Getigan, Angelika Mondejar, Jade Gentapa, Jhasmin Gayle Pascual, Ma. Camill Avila, Corrine Alysson Apostol, Wielyn Estoque, Jessa Dorog, Cristy Ondangan, Zamantha Nolasco Head coach: Jerry Yee
* NCAA Season 99 women's volleyball champions
* Cloanne Sophia Mondoñedo (c), Chenae Basarte, Michelle Gamit, Kim Alison Estenzo, Fiona Naomi Getigan, Jade Gentapa, Jhasmin Gayle Pascual, Corrine Alysson Apostol, Wielyn Estoque, Jessa Dorog, Cristy Ondangan, Zamantha Nolasco Head coach: Jerry Yee