MANILA – For the second season in a row, the top player of the league is a super rookie.

De La Salle Lady Spikers’ top hitter Angel Canino etched her name in the UAAP history books as one of the few athletes to capture the MVP plum in their rookie year.

Canino clinched the top individual award of Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament, besting the likes of her teammate Jolina dela Cruz and the top scorer of the league Eya Laure of UST Tigresses.

The former UAAP junior MVP immediately made an impact for the Lady Spikers, towing the team to the top of standings with 13-1 card and now leading the green and white near the crown.

In her first year in the collegiate rank, Canino finished third in the scoring department, fourth in spiking, fourth in receiving and eighth in blocking.

The super rookie was also adjudged as the Rookie of the Year and the second Best Outside Spiker with 36.42% efficiency rating.

During the Final Four matchup against the Tigresses, fans have been chanting "MVP" whenever Canino served the ball.

But she quickly shrugged it off, explaining that their eyes are on the title and not for any individual award.

"Nagulat nalang po ako na habang nagse-serve ako, nagc-chant sila. Hindi ko naman masyado iniisip. Sinasabi ko nga sa sarili ko, focus lang, focus lang," she said.

"Yung goal ng bawat isa sa amin ay mag-champion, hindi yung mga individual awards or kung anuman. Yung goal namin is mag-champion and after that doon namin mapapakita na ito kami, La Salle kami, kaya namin."

Meanwhile, Dela Cruz booked the first Best Outside Spiker while Jov Fernandez of the FEU Lady Tamaraws was the Best Opposite Spiker.

Thea Gagate of DLSU was the top middle blocker of the season followed by UP Fighting Maroon Nina Ytang.

La Salle’s playmaker Mars Alba took the Best Setter trophy while UST’s floor general Bernadette Pepito was hailed as the Best Libero.

• UAAP: La Salle’s Angel Canino earns first Player of the Week honors for Season 85

Last year, NU Lady Bulldogs’ Bella Belen made history as the first rookie-MVP of the UAAP women's volleyball tournament.

Canino is hoping to cap her stellar debut year with the Lady Spikers as a champion when they face the defending champions Lady Bulldogs in Game 2 of the Finals at the Mall of Asia Arena.

They hold a 1-0 lead against the Lady Bulldogs in the best-of-3 series.

UAAP Season 85 is streaming on iWantTFC every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, available for Premium users outside the Philippines.