Ana Santiago
{{Short description|Filipino softball head coach}}
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Ana Maria Santiago, also known as Ana Santiago, is a Filipina softball coach for the Adamson Lady Falcons, who won the last 12 UAAP Softball Championships.{{cite news|url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/4/17/adamson-clinches-another-softball-crown-with-comeback-win-vs-up-1958|title=UAAP: Adamson clinches another softball crown with comeback win vs. UP
|date=April 17, 2024|accessdate=April 18, 2024|website=ABS-CBN News}}{{cite news|url=https://fastbreak.com.ph/adamson-clips-up-secures-11th-straight-uaap-softball-crown/sports-galore/|title=Adamson clips UP, secures 11th straight UAAP softball crown|date=April 17, 2024|accessdate=April 18, 2024|website=Fastbreak}}{{cite news|url=https://sports.inquirer.net/501756/adamson-wins-10th-straight-uaap-softball-title|title=Adamson wins 10th straight UAAP softball title|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|date=March 21, 2023|accessdate=March 25, 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/the-sweetest-of-championships-for-ana-santiago/267145|title=The sweetest of championships for Ana Santiago|website=Tiebreaker Times|last=Valderrama|first=Aeron Paul|date=March 24, 2023|accessdate=March 25, 2023}} She is arguably the greatest active head coach in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines as Adamson won 16 titles under her belt.{{cite news|url=http://philboxing.com/news/story-134018.html#google_vignette|title=Ana Santiago: PH softball's winningest coach
|first=Eddie|last=Alinea|website=philboxing.com|date=January 30, 2018|accessdate=April 18, 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://tiebreakertimes.com.ph/tbt/ana-santiagos-greatest-achievement/186375|title=What is Ana Santiago's greatest achievement?|website=Tiebreaker Times|last=Li|first=Matthew|date=July 6, 2020|accessdate=March 25, 2023}} In Season 80 opening rites, the collegiate league considered her one of the "UAAP greats," representing Adamson along with her player Queeny Sabobo and other top athletes from seven other UAAP member schools.{{cite news|url=https://www.candymag.com/features/here-s-what-happened-at-the-uaap-season-80-opening-a00205-20170911|title=Here's What Happened at the UAAP Season 80 Opening|first=Karla Denisse|last=Cortez|date=September 11, 2017|accessdate=April 18, 2024|website=Candymag.com}}{{cite news|url=https://www.spin.ph/volleyball/uaap-women/uaap-opening-ceremony-season-80-alyssa-valdez-yan-lariba|title=Olympian Yan Lariba and other top UAAP athletes feted in Season 80 opening ceremony
|first=Christian|last=Jacinto|date=September 9, 2017|accessdate=April 18, 2024|website=Spin.ph}}
Santiago first played for the Lady Falcons in 1995 and was part of the team that won four straight UAAP titles from 1997 to 2001 under head coach Filomeno Codinera.{{cite news|url=https://www.adamson.edu.ph/v1/?page=view-news&newsid=1352|title=Up in seventh heaven|website=Adamson University|date=July 3, 2017|accessdate=March 25, 2023}} She and Jenny De Jesus-Cabrera would later become Adamson's assistant coaches.{{cite news|url=https://www.spin.ph/softball/team-manila-treated-to-disney-trip-for-job-well-done-in-pony-world-series-a793-20230726|title=Team Manila treated to Disney trip for job well done in Pony World Series|first=Gerry|last=Ramos|website=Spin.ph|date=July 26, 2023|accessdate=April 18, 2024}}
The Lady Falcons racked up more championships from the time Santiago assumed the head coaching job from Codiñera in 2004.{{cite news|url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/06/20/uaap-winning-keeps-adamsons-softball-coach-ana-santiago-young|title=UAAP: Winning keeps Adamson's softball coach Ana Santiago young|publisher=ABS-CBN News|date=July 6, 2020|accessdate=March 25, 2023}} She also coached Team Manila, representing the Asia Pacific district, and won over United States West representative Westchester, California to snatch the biggest of her international crowns, the Big League Softball World Series, held in Kalamazoo, Michigan on August 9, 2012.{{cite journal|url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2012/08/10/836731/pinay-clouters-clinch-world-series-title/amp/|title=Pinay clouters clinch World Series title|newspaper=Philippine Star|date=August 10, 2012|accessdate=March 25, 2023}} With that victory, Senate passed a resolution commending Santiago and her team composed of players from Adamson, the University of Santo Tomas, the University of the East, and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.{{cite journal|url=https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/15th_congress/resolutions/resno119.pdf|website=Senate of the Philippines|title=Resolution No. 119|date=August 15, 2012|accessdate=March 25, 2023}}
After steering the Lady Falcons to their decade of dominance and 19th title overall on March 18, 2023, Santiago said this was her sweetest championship in the UAAP.{{cite journal|url=https://www.rappler.com/sports/uaap/softball-final-results-adamson-lady-falcons-up-maroons-march-18-2023/|title=Adamson softball completes 'decade of dominance'|website=Rappler|date=March 18, 2023|accessdate=March 25, 2023}}
Santiago was inducted into the Adamson Athletes Hall of Fame in 2012.{{cite news|url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2012/02/06/774562/adamson-u-inducts-top-athletes-hall-fame|title=Adamson U inducts top athletes to Hall of Fame|date=February 6, 2012|newspaper=Philippine Star|accessdate=March 25, 2023}} In 2024 she received the PSC-PCW Women in Sports Awards.{{cite news|url=https://www.adamson.edu.ph/v1/?page=view-news&newsid=2891|title=Softbelles head coach Ana Santiago gets special citation in first PSC all-women sports awards|date=March 21, 2024|accessdate=March 29, 2024|website=The Adamson News}}{{cite news|url=https://journalnews.com.ph/philippine-sports-commission-women-in-sports-2024-complete-list-of-awardees/|title=Philippine Sports Commission: Women In Sports 2024 complete list of awardees|first=Robert|last=Andaya|date=March 24, 2024|accessdate=March 29, 2024|website=journalnews.com.ph}}