Nico Almendras

Nico Almendras
Personal information
Full name	Angelo Nicolas Almendras
Nationality	Filipino
Born	(1999-07-27) July 27, 1999 (age 25) Mandaluyong, Philippines
Height	186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
College / University	National University
Volleyball information
Position	Outside Hitter
Current team	Criss Cross King Crunchers
Number	1
Career
Years Teams 2019–2023 Sta. Elena Ball Hammers 2024–present Criss Cross King Crunchers
National team
2024–present Philippines

Angelo Nicolas "Nico" Almendras (born July 27, 1999) is a Filipino volleyball player. He played as an outside hitter for the NU Bulldogs in the UAAP. ^[1] He is currently playing for the Criss Cross King Crunchers in the Spikers' Turf.

Career

Collegiate

Almendras play for the Bulldogs of the National University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. ^[2]

He played his last playing year with Bulldogs in Season 86 of the UAAP, where the team bagged the first 4-peat championship of the school. ^[3]

Club

Almendras played for the Sta. Elena Ball Hammers which played at the 2022 Open Conference and 2023 Invitational Conferences of the Spikers' Turf. He joined the Criss Cross King Crunchers in June 2024. ^[4]

National team

In 2024, he became part of Alas Pilipinas, the national volleyball team of the Philippines, where the team competed in the 2024 Asian Men's Volleyball Challenge Cup and placed 10th in the tournament. ^[5]

Personal life

Almendras is married to Justine Pesigan since 2025. ^[6]

Clubs

• Sta. Elena Ball Hammers (2018–2023)
• Criss Cross King Crunchers (2024–present)

Awards

Individual

Year	League	Season/Conference	Award	Ref
					2022	Spikers' Turf	Open	Most Valuable Player (Conference)	[7]
V-League	Collegiate	Most Valuable Player (Conference)	[8]
		Most Valuable Player (Finals)
		1st Best Outside Spiker
2024	UAAP	86	2nd Best Outside Spiker	[9]
2024	Spikers' Turf	Invitational	1st Best Outside Spiker	[10]

Collegiate

Year	League	Season/Conference	Title	Ref
					2019	UAAP	81	Champions	[11]
2023	85	Champions	[12]
2024	86	Champions	[13]

Clubs

Year	League	Conference	Club	Title	Ref
						2019	Spikers' Turf	Reinforced	Sta. Elena	4th Place	[14]
2019	Open	Sta Elena–NU	3rd Place	[15]
2022	Open	NU-Sta. Elena	Champions	[16]
2023	Invitational	Sta Elena–NU	Champions	[17]
2024	Invitational	Criss Cross King Crunchers	Runner-up	[18]

External links

• Nico Almendras at the FIVB player database

References

1. "UAAP: Graduating Retamar, Almendras confident of NU Bulldogs' future" . Retrieved June 8, 2024.
2. "Almendras stars as NU gets back at FEU to gain top spot in Final four" . Retrieved June 8, 2024.
3. "Retamar, Almendras bid farewell with glory as NU secures UAAP men's volleyball four peat" . Retrieved June 8, 2024.
4. Ambat, Pao (June 27, 2024). "NU standout Nico Almendras opens new chapter in volleyball career, joins Criss Cross King Crunchers in Spikers' Turf". OneSports.ph. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
5. "Nico Almendras shines as Alas men claim breakthrough win against Indonesia in AVC Challenge Cup" . Retrieved June 8, 2024.
6. Dannug, Jonash (February 28, 2025). "Nico Almendras returns with renewed purpose after wedding, fatherhood announcement". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
7. Agcaoili, Lance (October 1, 2022). "Nationals' Nico Almendras wins Spikers' Turf MVP award". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
8. "Almendras cops another MVP plum". vleague.ph. November 30, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
9. Isaga, JR (May 15, 2024). "UAAP greats: Belen, Ybañez earn first multiple MVP awards since Valdez, Espejo". Rapper . Retrieved May 15, 2024.
10. "Jude Garcia continues reign as ST MVP". Spikers' Turf. December 15, 2024. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
11. "NU Bulldogs dominate Adamson en route 7th straight final appearance" . Retrieved June 8, 2024.
12. "UST's Ybañez bags UAAP MVP, Rookie of the Year awards". Philippine Star. May 14, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
13. Valencia, Justin (May 15, 2024). "Joshua Retamar clinches UAAP Finals MVP, capping stellar NU career". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
14. Agcaoli, Lance (June 21, 2019). "Almendras, Camposano show way as Sta. Elena stuns PH team in Spikers' Turf". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
15. Dannug, Jonash (October 10, 2019). "Sta. Elena-NU survives 0-2 hole, IEM to book showdown vs Air Force". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved February 28, 2025.
16. Agcaoili, Lance (October 1, 2022). "NU-Sta. Elena dethrones Cignal to claim Spikers' Turf crown". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
17. "NU-Sta Elena shocks Cignal in 5, snares crown". spikersturf.ph. Spikers Turf. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
18. "Cignal flaunts championship pedigree, crushes Criss Cross". Spikers' Turf. December 15, 2024. Archived from the original on December 15, 2024. Retrieved December 15, 2024.