ATENEO de Manila University completed a dominant season run after sweeping the University of the Philippines, 3-0, to capture the UAAP Season 88 men’s badminton championship on Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall in Malate, Manila.

The Blue Eagles, led by standout rookie Jamal Rahmat “JR” Pandi, capped off an unbeaten campaign to clinch their sixth UAAP men’s badminton title.

Fresh from competing in the World Junior Championships, Pandi delivered a strong performance in the opening singles match, defeating UP’s Jelo Albo, 21-15, 21-19.

Season 86 co-MVP Lyrden Laborte then rallied from a one-set deficit to overcome Kervin Llanes, 17-21, 21-15, 21-8, giving Ateneo a commanding 2-0 lead.

Pandi later teamed up with Arthur Salvado Jr. in the doubles event to finish the job, downing the Albo-Bernal tandem, 24-22, 21-11, and securing the championship for Ateneo.

“I’m happy that in my first year with the team, we were able to win again,” said Pandi, a graduate of Ragayan National High School. “Even though I didn’t play in some earlier matches, I made sure to contribute when needed. With the help of our coaches, we achieved our goal.”

The 18-year-old Interdisciplinary Studies freshman added that discipline and dedication were key to their success:

“Our mindset was always focused on our goal. We woke up early, trained hard, and still attended classes after. We’re thankful that all those sacrifices paid off.”

Head coach Kennie Asuncion-Robles praised her players for their perseverance and determination, especially after last season’s disappointment.

“We wanted to bounce back from last year’s loss, and the players really took that to heart,” Asuncion-Robles said. “We never became complacent, even when we were the top seed entering the Final Four. We prepared for every possible challenge, and that made the difference.”

In the battle for third place, National University edged De La Salle University, 3-1, to complete the podium finishers.