Josh Ybañez Wants His Legacy at UST to Be About Heart and Pride

For the past few seasons, Josh Ybañez has become one of the defining faces of the UST Golden Spikers.

The highlights, the scoring runs, the energy he brings onto the floor—those are the things people naturally notice first. And now, Ybañez has chosen to stay and play one final season for UST.

But for Ybañez, the legacy he talks about isn’t centered on awards or statistics.

It’s about something much simpler.

Pride. Effort. Heart.

And making sure the people around him understand what it truly means to wear the UST jersey.

Playing With Pride

The legacy he wants to leave behind with the Golden Spikers heading into his final year is about responsibility—the kind that comes with representing something bigger than yourself.

“Ang pinakagusto ko lang talagang i-instill or i-pa-feel sa mga teammates ko, sa pag-alis ko sa UST maybe, it is so important to play with pride and know kung ano yung mga dinadala mo. Kami, as UST athletes, we don’t just carry our names. Daladala namin ang pride ng school and the name of the school.”

That mindset has become part of how he carries himself on the court.

Even during games, especially in tense moments and timeouts, Ybañez naturally steps into the role of a leader—not necessarily because he has to, but because that sense of responsibility already comes naturally to him.

And for him, leadership has never really been about speeches or attention.

It’s about consistency. It’s about showing teammates how to compete no matter who’s standing on the other side of the net.

“I think isa talaga sa mga pinaka-evident na napapansin talaga nila sa akin, natutunan nila sa akin maybe is to play all out and to play as if it is your last.”

That mentality is something he constantly reminds his teammates about, regardless of the opponent or situation. Ybañez leads with the mindset that anything is possible, and it shows in the way he approaches every match.

“Kasi lagi kong sinasabi sa kanila yan na maglaro tayo kahit sino pa yung kalaban. Kahit malakas man yun o mahina, isipin natin na last game na natin yun. At least wala tayong pag-iisipan pag nag-all out tayo every game.”

The Legacy He Wants to Leave Behind

And maybe that’s what has made Ybañez resonate so strongly with the UST community over the years.

Because his game has never felt passive. It always felt like he was capable of reaching another level, no matter the match or moment.

Whether UST is leading or chasing, whether the moment is big or small, there’s always a visible sense of urgency in the way he plays—as if every point deserves everything he has.

That’s also the version of himself he hopes people remember once his time with the Golden Spikers eventually comes to an end.

“The thing siguro that I wanted people to remember about me pag umalis ako next season, maybe siguro yung fighting spirit ko and how I play, na binubuhos ko talaga lahat. And most especially, yung puso ko maglaro.”

For some athletes, legacies are measured through championships or records.

But for Josh Ybañez, it feels like the legacy he wants to leave behind is something his teammates will carry long after he’s gone:

To play with pride. To play all out. And to never step onto the court without heart.

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