De La Salle University entered the 2025 V-League Collegiate Challenge facing a new chapter — one marked by the departure of nearly its entire starting lineup. Gone were the familiar names that carried the Green Spikers through recent UAAP battles: Noel Kampton, Menard Guerrero, and Vince Maglinao.
But perhaps the biggest void was at the setter position. The team had bid farewell to Gen Poquita and UAAP Season 87 Best Setter, Eco Adajar, leaving a crucial leadership role unfilled.
For head coach Jose Roque, however, the transition was not a cause for panic. The staff had been quietly preparing for this moment, and when opportunity came knocking, it arrived in the form of a 20-year-old from halfway across the world.
NJ Bangit, a Chicago native, first set foot on the La Salle campus as part of FilAm Nation Select’s volleyball tour. A casual visit soon turned into a career-defining conversation between Bangit and Roque — a talk that opened the door for him to don the green and white.
Volleyball had always been a constant in Bangit’s household. Yet despite growing up surrounded by the sport, it took him years to fully embrace it.
"I came from a volleyball family, so everyone in my family plays volleyball, but it was one of the last sports I picked up," Bangit recalled. "I played before, but it was just when I turned 16 that I took it seriously. It's like, I was familiar with it, but it was not my passion yet."
Originally a spiker, Bangit explored various positions before ultimately following in the footsteps of his father Joe — a setter and his personal coach.
"Well, my dad is a setter, and he's my coach. So, I naturally gravitated towards setting, but I played opposite, middle, and outside. But now, setting is my passion. I started playing it when I took the sport seriously when I was in my second year in high school," he said.
Stepping into the role once held by two standout setters, including a national team player, came with its share of pressure. But for Bangit, the moment the first whistle blew, nerves took a back seat to adrenaline.
"There's a lot of pressure, but most of it was coming from myself. The last two setters of the team were Kuya Poqs (Poquita) and then Kuya Eco — and it was a lot because he plays for the national team, and you also have to fill that void as a setter," he admitted. "You touch the most almost every single play, but I know myself and how I can play, and I think I showed glimpses of that today. But when I walked into the court, it all kind of went away; I was more excited than I was nervous."
On his V-League debut last Sunday, Bangit tallied 20 excellent sets to steer La Salle to a straight-sets victory over NCAA champion Arellano University — a strong first statement from the new floor general.
Now, his focus shifts to their next challenge: a clash with UAAP champion National University.
"Our next game is on Tuesday and we play the UAAP champs — wala sila (Jade) Disquitado and the other main guys, but still, NU is a respectable program with coach Dante (Alinsunurin) there. But, I'm really excited," Bangit said.
He knows the Green Spikers are in the midst of a rebuild, but he sees this as an opportunity to redefine their identity.
"We lost seven seniors — the whole starting lineup — but it is an opportunity to find a new identity for the Green Spikers," he stressed. "And with a new setter, me, and my teammates at the helm, it's up to us how to lead this team into the future with a lot of these young players, too. I'm just, not nervous, but excited to lead this team."
For La Salle, the era of NJ Bangit is just beginning — and if his first outing is any indication, the Green Spikers may have found the steady hands they need to navigate this bold new chapter.
