FEU Tamaraws
The FEU Tamaraws are the varsity teams of Far Eastern University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. The collegiate women's varsity teams are called the Lady Tamaraws while the high school varsity teams are called the Baby Tamaraws.
History
was one of the founding members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association of the Philippines in 1924. The team participated in the NCAA Philippines in 1929, then eventually withdrew in 1935 to join the Big 3 League composed of the universities which left the NCAA in 1932. Far Eastern University together with the University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, and National University founded the University Athletic Association of the Philippines in 1938.Team mascot and colors
The Tamaraw is the mascot of all FEU athletic teams. Hence, it is the pet name of every FEU student. Known scientifically as "Bubalus mindorensis", it is a rare animal found only in the island of Mindoro.Sports
Basketball
FEU won their first men's and women's UAAP basketball championships in 1938–39 and 1950–1951, respectively. The Tamaraws have the most championships in the men's basketball division, having won 20 titles. FEU ranks second in total number of combined championships won in the juniors, women's, and men's basketball divisions.In Season 68, the FEU Tamaraws Won Their 19th Title by sweeping the De La Salle Green Archers in their Best Of Three Championship Series. Played at The Araneta Coliseum on October 6, 2005.
In season 71, the Tamaraws finished the elimination round with 10 wins and 4 losses. They lost game one of the semifinals to the De La Salle Green Archers on September 11, 2008, then bowed out of contention three days later after losing game 2.
On October 15, 2014, the FEU Tamaraws lost their championship series against the NU Bulldogs in three games.
In Season 78, the Tamaraws claimed their 20th title in the men's basketball tournament. FEU won against UST in three games in their Finals series with Game 3 played on December 2, 2015 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Notable players
Men's Division- Manuel Araneta – Olympian, 1948 London Olympics.
- Arturo "Turo" Valenzona – Olympian, 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
- Glenn Capacio – 1983 UAAP MVP; Member, 1980–1981 & 1983 UAAP Men's Basketball Champion Tamaraw Team; Played in the PBA.
- Johnny Abarrientos – UAAP Season 51 and 54 2-Time Most Valuable Player; Member, UAAP seasons 54 & 55 Champion Tamaraw Team; 1996 PBA Season Most Valuable Player; 2-time PBA Finals Most Valuable Player; 8-time PBA All-star; 7-time member, PBA Mythical Team; 5-time selectee, PBA Defensive Team; 1997 PBA Commissioner's Cup Best Player of the Conference; PBA All-time leader in Steals. 3-Time Member of the RP National Team.
- Victor Pablo
- Paquito Diaz
- Romy Diaz - UAAP Season 24, UAAP Season 24 Men's Basketball Champion Tamaraw Team; Presently playing in the MICAA.
- Arwind Santos – UAAP Season 65 Rookie of the Year; Season 66–68 Mythical Team Member; Season 67 & 68 Defensive Player of the Year & Most Valuable Player; Member, UAAP Season 66–68 Basketball Champion Tamaraw Team; Member, 2008 PBA-Philippine National Basketball Team; The first Tamaraw jersey to be retired.
- Mark Isip – UAAP Season 68 Mythical 5 Member; Member, UAAP Season 66 – 68 Men's Basketball Champion Tamaraw Team; Presently playing in the PBA.
- Jeffrei Chan – Member, UAAP season 66–68 Men's Basketball Champion Tamaraw Team; UAAP Season 69 Mythical Team Member; Member, 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Basketball – gold medal; PBL Mr. Dynamic Player of the Season. Currently playing in the PBA.
- Gerard Jones – UAAP Season 68 Mythical 5 Member; Member, UAAP Season 66 – 68 Men's Basketball Champion Tamaraw Team; PBL Champion
- Marc Pingris – 8× PBA Champion, 2× PBA Finals MVP 13× PBA All-Star PBA Most Improved Player, 3× PBA Mythical Second Team, 3× PBA Defensive Player of the Year, 8× PBA All-Defensive Team, PBA All-Star Game MVP, 42nd Member of PBA 1,000 offensive rebound club, PBA Grand Slam champion, PBA 40 Greatest Players. Dubbed as the "Pinoy Sakuragi", UAAP Season 64 Bench player
- Jonas Villanueva – Member, UAAP season 68 Men's Basketball Champion Tamaraw Team; 2009 PBA Fiesta Conference Finals Most Valuable Player and Most Improved Player.
- RR Garcia – Member, 2009 Filoil Flying V Preseason Men's basketball Champion Tamaraw team; No. 6 overall pick 2013 PBA Draft; UAAP Season 73 Most Valuable Player.
- Terrence Romeo – UAAP Season 72 Juniors Most Valuable Player ; Scored UAAP Juniors Record 83 points vs UPIS; UAAP Season 73 Rookie of the Year; UAAP Season 75–76 Mythical Team Member; UAAP Season 76 Most Valuable Player ; No. 5 overall pick 2013 PBA Draft.
- Mac Belo – UAAP Season 78 Finals Most Valuable Player; UAAP Season 78 Men's Basketball Champion Tamaraw Team; PBA D-League Champion Member of Gilas; Won Gold Medal in 2015 and 2017 SEA Games; Member of Gilas 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge; 1st Round Draft Pick Overall at the 2016 PBA Draft currently playing for Blackwater Elite
- Roger Pogoy – UAAP Season 78 Men's Basketball Champion Tamaraw Team; PBA D-League Champion Member of Gilas Cadets; Won Gold Medal in 2015 SEA Games; Member of Gilas 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge, 2017 SEABA Championship; and 2017 Jones Cup, currently under the roster of TNT KaTropa
- Denok Miranda – Member, UAAP Season 66–68 Basketball Champion Tamaraw Team; Member, Playing for Blackwater Elite the Philippine basketball pro league
- Francis Adriano – UAAP Season 61 Basketball Member; Played in MBA, PBA and ABL
- Celino Cruz – UAAP Season 64 Basketball Member; Played in PBA and ABL
- Carl Bryan Cruz – Played in Gilas; Won Gold Medal in SEA Games; currently under the roster of Alaska Aces
- Mike Tolomia – Member, UAAP Season 78 Men's Basketball Champion Tamaraw Team; PBA D-League Most Valuable Player ; PBA D-League Champion Member of Gilas Cadets; Won Gold Medal in 2015 and 2017 SEA Games; Member of Gilas 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge; currently playing in the PBA, the Philippine basketball pro league as a member of the club team Meralco Bolts
Retired numbers
- Arwind Santos Three-time UAAP champion ; Three-Time UAAP Finals MVP; ; Two-Time UAAP MVP ; Two-Time UAAP Defensive Player of the Year ; Three-time UAAP Scoring Champion ; Three-time UAAP Rebounding Champion ; Two-time UAAP Blocking Champion ; 2002 UAAP Rookie of the Year.2013 governors cup best player of the conference, 2013 PBA MVP
- Johnny Abarrientos 1989 UAAP Rookie of the Year; Two-time UAAP champion ; 1991 UAAP MVP; 1996 PBA MVP
Rivals
- UE Red Warriors, were involved in the rivalry called the "Battle of the East" with the FEU Tamaraws. Both the Red Warriors and the Tamaraws dominated the UAAP basketball tournaments from the 1950s up to the late 1980s. The Tamaraws came out on top of this rivalry having won 20 titles to the 18 titles of the Red Warriors.
- De La Salle Green Archers, the rivalry was sparked during the Finals of Season 54 when La Salle's win in game 1 was protested by FEU after a Green Archer was admitted into the playing court after being disqualified. The UAAP Board upheld the protest and ordered the replay. La Salle did not show up, claiming to have won legitimately. This resulted in the awarding of the championship trophy to FEU by the UAAP Board. La Salle responded with a victory parade that passed through the other seven UAAP schools. When they passed through the FEU campus, the motorcade was bombarded with debris. In Season 67, La Salle had to give up another trophy to FEU. Two Green Archers were found to have falsified documents. Thus the trophy was awarded again to FEU, who were the Finals opponent of La Salle. The rivalry is unofficially known as the "Battle of the Greens", because both teams sport green in their uniforms.
UAAP titles
- Men's basketball: 20 – 1938, 1939, 1947, 1950, 1956, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2015.
- 'Women's basketball: 11 – 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2008, 2011 and 2012
- Juniors' basketball: 9 – 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1987, 2012, and 2016
Volleyball
Rivals
- UST Growling Tigers''' and the FEU women's volleyball teams battled in the Finals for as long as 15 seasons, wherein 9 titles were won by the Lady Tamaraw Spikers.
- UP Fighting Maroons, considered as one of the powerhouses in UAAP men's volleyball, ranks second to FEU in the number of men's volleyball championships. They won 9 titles. While FEU has 11 titles. The two teams competed for the men's volleyball championship in 8 seasons, 4 of which were won by the Tamaraws.
Beach volleyball
Football
The FEU Tamaraw Booters, under coach Orlando Plagata, won their first title in the UAAP Football tournament in 1980–1981, while the FEU Lady Tamaraw Booters won their first title in 1983–1984. FEU ranks 2nd in terms of number of championships won in the said event since 1978.FEU appeared in the event finals for as long as 27 seasons, wherein 2 men's football titles and 11 women's football titles were awarded to the Tamaraw Booters.
Outside the UAAP, the women's football team were also crowned champions for the first two editions of the PFF Women's Cup. It has also competed in international tournaments such as in the 2015 HCM City International Women Football Tournament in Vietnam where it finished fourth out of four participating teams.
The FEU Lady Tamaraws Football Team*
Rivals
- Ateneo Blue Eagles started in 1983, the men's football rivalry lasted for 5 years, where 2 titles were won by FEU.
- De La Salle Green Archers, this FEU-DLSU football rivalry emerged in 1996, which then lasted for as long as 9 years. 5 titles were won by the FEU Lady Tamaraw Booters from the DLSU Lady Archers.
Track and Field
The Charging Lady Tamaraws currently own the longest winning streak in the said sport. They've been UAAP track and field champions for 7 consecutive seasons, and currently has the most titles in women's track and field with 30 titles, while the Charging Tamaraws, are also tops among participating universities in the sport, with 27 titles.
Notable athletes
FEU Cheering Squad
The FEU Cheering Squad consists of three major groups, that either perform during halftime performances in major games or events in the UAAP or other sport competitions participated by the university athletes, lead the FEU crowd in cheering during the said events though the university's chants or cheers, and drum beats.FEU Cheerdancers
The FEU Cheer Dancers are Far Eastern University's cheer dance group, consisting mainly of gymnasts and dancers. They participate in the UAAP Cheer Dance Competition, and other related exhibitions and competitions.
FEU Boosters
The Official cheerleaders of FEU, also known as "Boosters", is a supporting group for the varsity teams of the school. They're the group exceptionally with loud voices, and solid hand gestures.
FEU Drummers
The official cheer drummers of FEU, formerly known as the "FEU Green Bisons", well trained in beating the drums. Works together with FEU Boosters and FEU Cheerdancers, supporting group and participates in school's varsity games.
Other notable alumni athletes
Retired jersey numbers
Basketball
- #14 – Johnny Abarrientos
- #19 – Arwind Santos
Volleyball
- #3 – Rachel Anne Daquis
Rankings in the UAAP
Seniors' events
Beach volleyball tournament in the 69th season was a demonstration event.Poomsae became a regular event in the 76th season, was a demonstration sport in the 74th and 75th.
See FEU Baby Tamaraws for FEU Junior Rankings
Championships tally
The University currently participates in 11 out of 16 events in the UAAP. Total number of championships won in the UAAP seniors division include both men's and women's teams championships.1st semester events | Total | 2nd semester events | Total | Not participated this season | Total |
Basketball | 20 | Football | 13 | Softball | 19 |
Chess | 2 | Track and Field | 57 | Tennis | 7 |
Beach Volleyball | 4 | Volleyball | 72 | Swimming | 14 |
Taekwondo | 1 | Badminton | 5 | ||
Cheerdance | 2 | Fencing | 1 | ||
Table Tennis | 2 |
The FEU Tamaraws were the first over-all league champions in the UAAP in 1948, making their first streak with 11 over-all championship titles which was later halted by the UST Growling Tigers in 1959. The FEU team last had their over-all UAAP championship title in 1982.
School | Juniors | Seniors | Total |
University of Santo Tomas | 10 | 35 | 45 |
Far Eastern University | 0 | 16 | 16 |
University of the East | 1 | 5 | 6 |
University of the Philippines | 0 | 5 | 5 |
Ateneo de Manila University | 2 | 0 | 2 |
National University | 2 | 1 | 3 |
De La Salle University | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Adamson University | 0 | 0 | 0 |
See UAAP Overall Championship