Amanda Villanueva
{{short description|Filipino volleyball athlete}}
{{Infobox volleyball player
| name = Amanda Villanueva
| image =
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| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|28|2020|9|3}}
| birth_place = San Diego, California, U.S.{{cite news|url=https://peoplesbalita.com/amanda-villanueva-may-lalim-ang-hugot/|title=Amanda Villanueva, may lalim ang hugot|trans-title=Amanda Villanueva, has a deep insight|date=August 24, 2020|accessdate=November 22, 2024|website=People's Balita|language=fil}}
| nationality = Filipino
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=4}}
| college = De La Salle University
Adamson University
| position = Opposite Hitter
| years1 = 2015
| team1 = PLDT
| years2 = 2017–2018
| team2 = Perlas Spikers
| years3 = 2019
| team3 = Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors
| nationalyears1 =
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}}
Amanda Maria Villanueva (born {{birth based on age as of date|28|2020|9|3|noage=1}}{{cite news|url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/amanda-villanueva-retires-age-28/189061|title=Amanda Villanueva retires at age 28|date=September 3, 2020|first=Matthew|last=Li|website=Tiebreaker Times|accessdate=November 22, 2024}}) is a Filipino volleyball athlete. She played for the Adamson Lady Falcons in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines before turning pro in the Premier Volleyball League and Philippine Superliga. She is also a model and marketing executive.
Career
An opposite hitter, Villanueva played high school volleyball at St. James Academy in Malabon and represented the National Capital Region at Palarong Pambansa.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/ella-de-jesus-stands-tall-with-the-lady-eagles/ |title=Ella de Jesus stands tall with the Lady Eagles |last=Olivares|first=Rick|newspaper=Business Mirror |date=March 15, 2015 |accessdate=November 22, 2024}} In college, she initially played for the DLSU Lady Spikers and later played four years for the Adamson Lady Falcons.{{cite news|url=https://thelasallian.com/2010/11/05/green-gallery-lady-spiker-amanda-villanueva/|title=Green Gallery: Lady Spiker Amanda Villanueva|website=The LaSallian|date=November 5, 2010|accessdate=November 22, 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://varsitarian.net/sports/sports/20140717/palarong_pambansa_standouts_from_cebu_suit_up_for_ust_spikers|newspaper=The Varsitarian|date=July 17, 2014|title=Palarong Pambansa standouts from Cebu suit up for UST Spikers|accessdate=November 22, 2024}} She had two UAAP Final Four appearances in indoor volleyball and won a beach volley crown for Adamson University while teaming up with Bang Pineda and Jema Galanza in 2013.{{cite news|url=https://www.adamson.edu.ph/v1/?page=view-news&newsid=2537|title=Lady Falcons ends nine-year final four drought after conquest of UP|newspaper=The Adamson News|date=April 24, 2023|accessdate=November 22, 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.spin.ph/volleyball/adamson-ends-usts-two-year-reign-regains-womens-beach-volley-title-|accessdate=November 22, 2024|title=Adamson ends UST's two-year reign, regains women's beach volley title|website=Spin.ph|date=September 20, 2013|first=Reuben|last=Terrado}} She briefly played for the PLDT Home Ultera Ultra Fast Hitters in the Shakey's V-League in 2015. They would later meet at the pro ranks in separate teams.{{cite news|url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/philippine-volleyballs-biggest-stars-come-together-for-vcgbs-raffle-for-heroes/183402|title=Philippine Volleyball’s biggest stars come together for VCGB’s Raffle for Heroes|first=Ohmer|last=Bautista|date=April 15, 2020|accessdate=November 22, 2024|website=Tiebreaker Times}}
Villanueva joined the Perlas Spikers of the Premier Volleyball League in 2017. She helped the team win double bronze in 2018.{{cite news|url=https://www.spin.ph/volleyball/amanda-villanueva-announces-retirement-from-volleyball-a2522-20200903|title=Amanda Villanueva so thankful as she calls time on volleyball career|first=Lance|last=Agcaoili|date=September 3, 2020|accessdate=November 22, 2024|website=Spin.ph}} She moved to the Sta. Lucia Lady Realtors of the Philippine Super Liga in 2019.
She ended her competitive volleyball career in 2020, at age 28.{{cite news|url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/amanda-villanueva-retires-age-28/189061|title=Amanda Villanueva retires at age 28|date=September 3, 2020|first=Matthew|last=Li|website=Tiebreaker Times|accessdate=November 22, 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/story/_/id/29799905/amanda-villanueva-announces-retirement-volleyball|website=ESPN|date=September 3, 2020|title=Amanda Villanueva, former Adamson star, announces retirement from volleyball|first=Eros|last=Villanueva|accessdate=November 22, 2024}}
Personal life
Villanueva became engaged to her boyfriend Rico Robles during their vacation in Taipei, Taiwan in 2020 after two years of being in a romantic relationship.{{cite news|url=https://fastbreak.com.ph/amanda-villanueva-says-yes-to-marriage-proposal/spike-attack/|title=Amanda Villanueva Says ‘YES!’ to Marriage Proposal|date=January 8, 2020|accessdate=November 22, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Hitosis |first1=Jet |title=DJ Rico Robles is now engaged to former Adamson volleyball player Amanda Villanueva |url=https://www.pep.ph/news/local/148609/rico-robles-engaged-to-amanda-villanueva-a4437-20200109 |access-date=23 November 2024 |work=PEP.ph |publisher=Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. |date=9 January 2020 |language=fil}} Villanueva also engages in business and modeling careers.{{cite news|url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2017/08/02/1723888/new-look-new-vibes-perlas-amanda-villanueva|newspaper=Philippine Star|title=New look, new vibes with Perlas' Amanda Villanueva|date=August 2, 2017|accessdate=November 22, 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/entertainment/celebritylife/relationship/14203/in-photos-bea-alonzo-and-dominic-roques-sweetest-photos/photo|accessdate=November 22, 2024|date=December 10, 2022|website=GMA Entertainment|title=IN PHOTOS}}{{cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5IZ6b3-q4s|title=Gametime: PVL pro Amanda Villanueva on FHM cover: Being strong and fit is sexy|date=August 10, 2017|accessdate=November 22, 2024|website=ABS-CBN News YouTube Channel}}{{cite news|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13011876/?ref_=nm_mv|title="Bawal na game show" Pa Volley naman (TV Episode 2020)|date=September 1, 2020|accessdate=November 22, 2024|website=IMDB}}