Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 30, 2026

Kim Malabunga

Kim Niño Malabunga is a Filipino volleyball athlete. He played with NU Bulldogs collegiate men's University team. He is currently playing for the Criss Cross King Crunchers in the Spikers' Turf.

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Kim Malabunga
Personal information
Full nameKim Niño Malabunga
NationalityFilipino
Born (1996-05-08) May 8, 1996
Quezon, Philippines
Height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight90 kg (198 lb)
College / UniversityNational University
Volleyball information
PositionMiddle Blocker
Current clubCriss Cross King Crunchers
Number4
Career
YearsTeams
2017Philippine Air Force
2017Megabuilders Volley Bolts
2018Vice Co. Blockbusters
2019–2021Philippine Air Force
2022VNS
2022AMC Cotabato Spikers
2023Imus City–AJAA Spikers
2024–presentCriss Cross King Crunchers
National team
2019–presentPhilippines
Honours
Men's volleyball
Representing  Philippines
Southeast Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 2019 Manila Team
SEA V.League
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Manila Team
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Yogyakarta Team

Kim Niño Malabunga (born May 8, 1996) is a Filipino volleyball athlete. He played with NU Bulldogs collegiate men's University team. He is currently playing for the Criss Cross King Crunchers in the Spikers' Turf.

Early life

Kim Malabunga was born on May 8, 1996 in Quezon.1

Career

Collegiate

Malabunga play as the middle blocker for the Bulldogs of the National University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

He played his last playing year with Bulldogs in UAAP Season 81 in 2019, where they won their second consecutive championship title against the FEU Tamaraws in the Finals.2

Club

Megabuilders Volley Bolts

Malabunga played for the Megabuilders Volley Bolts in the 2017 Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference. He was named Best Middle Blocker for the tournament.3

Philippine Air Force

Malabunga has been with the Philippine Air Force of the Spikers' Turf as early as the 2019 Reinforced Conference45 He later played for Air Force in the 2021 PNVF Champions League.67

VNS

Malabunga played for the VNS Griffins of the Spikers' Turf in 2022.8

AMC Cotabato

The AMC Cotabato Spikers acquired the services of Malabunga for the 2022 PNVF Champions League.9

Imus AJAA Spikers

Malabunga returned to the Spikers' Turf suiting up for the Imus City–AJAA Spikers in the 2023 Open Conference.10

Criss Cross King Crunchers

In early 2024, Malabunga changed his Spikers' Turf club moving to the Criss Cross King Crunchers in the lead up to the 2024 Open Conference.11

He got injured in the 2024 Invitational Conference in October.12 He has recovered by the semifinals of the 2025 Open Conference.13

Malabanga helped Criss Cross win two consecutive titles. The latest being the 2026 Open Conference title.14

National team

Malabunga has played for the Philippine national team. He was part of the team which won the silver medal at the 2019 SEA Games hosted in the Philippines.15

At the first leg of the 2024 SEA Men's V.League, Malabunga was named as the tournament's second best middle blocker.16

Malabunga was part of the host country's team at the 2025 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship. A noted part of his national career was the near win against Iran in the last group stage game where he appeared to make a crucial block. It was contested by Iran and later judged to be a net touch. The Philippines lost the match and failed to secure a historic Round of 16 appearance.1714

Clubs

Awards

Individual

Year League Season/Conference Award Ref
2015 Spikers' Turf Collegiate 1st Best Middle Blocker 18
2016 Collegiate 2nd Best Middle Blocker 19
2017 PVL Open 1st Best Middle Blocker 20
Collegiate 2nd Best Middle Blocker
2019 Spikers' Turf Reinforced
2022 PNVF Champions League 21
2024 SEA V.League 1st Leg

Collegiate

Year League Season/Conference Title Ref
2015 Spikers' Turf Collegiate Runner-up
2016 UAAP 78 Runner-up 22
Spikers' Turf Collegiate Runner-up
2017 UAAP 79 Runner-up
2018 80 Champions 23
2018 PVL Collegiate Champions
2019 UAAP 81 Champions

Clubs

Year League Season/Conference Club Title Ref
2017 PVL Reinforced Philippine Air Force Air Spikers Runner-up 24
Open Megabuilders Volley Bolts Runner-up 25
2018 Spikers' Turf Open Vice Co. Blockbusters 3rd place 26
2019 Open Philippine Air Force Air Spikers Runner-up 27
2021 PNVF Champions League Go for Gold-Air Force Aguilas Runner-up 28
2022 Champions League Pikit-North Cotabato G-Spikers Runner-up 29
2023 Spikers' Turf Open Imus City–AJAA Spikers 3rd place 30
2024 Open Criss Cross King Crunchers Runner-up
Invitational Runner-up
2025 Open Runner-up
External links
References

References

  1. "Kim Malabunga". Players’ Database. FIVB. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  2. Morales, Luisa (May 15, 2019). "Bagunas-led NU wins back-to-back titles in UAAP men's volley". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  3. Li, Matthew (August 12, 2017). "Saku Capate hailed as Open Conference MVP". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  4. Dannug, Jonash (July 24, 2019). "Jude Garcia, JP Bugaoan savor first crown as it came at expense of ex-Bulldogs". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  5. "Air Force Go For Gold remains team to beat in Spikers' Turf". The Philippine Star. May 25, 2019. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  6. Dannug, Jonash (November 28, 2021). "Air Force picks up ex-PLDT stars for PNVFCL". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  7. "Go For Gold-Air Force rallies to beat VNS Manileño in five sets". BusinessWorld. November 29, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  8. Agcaoili, Lance (September 3, 2022). "Spikers' Turf: VNS holds off Sta. Rosa for second straight win". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  9. "Volleyball: PGJC-Navy, North Cotabato book Champions League semis slots". ABS-CBN News. November 11, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  10. Malanum, Jean (January 23, 2023). "Imus AJAA beat Sta. Rosa in Spikers' Turf debut". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  11. Naredo, Camille (March 2, 2024). "Intal, Malabunga go from rivals to teammates in Criss Cross". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  12. Dannug, Jonash (October 16, 2024). "Kim Malabunga injures ankle before Criss Cross' Spikers' Turf opener". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  13. Dannug, Jonash (February 25, 2025). "As he nears 100%, Kim Malabunga sets sights on championship for Criss Cross". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  14. Dannug, Jonash (April 19, 2026). "Kim Malabunga overcomes World Championship ghost with clutch block to seal Criss Cross crown". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  15. Agcaoili, Lance (December 4, 2025). "Alas Pilipinas loads up with FIVB men's world stars for SEA Games". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  16. Caacbay, Kennedy (August 18, 2024). "Buddin, Malabunga honored with individual awards in SEA V.League Leg 1". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  17. "Kim Malabunga sorry for net touch in Alas' heartbreaker vs Iran: 'Dapat panalo na 'yon'". One Sports. September 19, 2025. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  18. "Eagles whip Bulldogs, cop Spikers' Turf crown - The Philippine Star September 28, 2015".
  19. Lintag, Paul (September 16, 2016). "Blue Eagles survive NU in five sets to take finals opener". ABS-CBN Sports. Archived from the original on September 10, 2016. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  20. Escarlote, Mark (August 12, 2017). "Capate bags Open Conference MVP award". ABS-CBN Sports. Archived from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  21. "Bigger Champions League in years to come – PNVF head Suzara". Manila Bulletin. November 14, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  22. "UAAP Season 78 volleyball Awardees". Tiebreaker times. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  23. Matel, Philip (April 30, 2018). "UAAP Volleyball: MVPs Jaja Santiago, Marck Espejo banner individual awards for Season 80". ABS-CBN Sports. Archived from the original on April 30, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  24. Escarlote, Mark (November 12, 2016). "Air Force captures second straight title, dethrones Cignal". ABS-CBN Sports. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  25. Riego, Norman (August 16, 2017). "Sacrifice pays off as HD Spikers seize second straight title". ABS-CBN Sports. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  26. Escarlote, Mark (July 6, 2018). "PVL: HD Spikers book return ticket to the Finals". ABS-CBN Sports. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  27. Agcaoili, Lance (October 1, 2022). "NU-Sta. Elena dethrones Cignal to claim Spikers' Turf crown". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  28. "Go for Gold, VNS open men's PNVF Champions League". ABS-CBN News. November 28, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
  29. "PNVF CL: Cignal outlasts North Cotabato, rules men's division". Tiebreaker Times. November 13, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  30. "Spikers Turf Open Conference". Inquirer.net. Retrieved April 7, 2023.