PatMen hailed Rookie, Initiator of the Year at VCT Pacific Awards

Filipino newcomer Patrick “PatMen” Mendoza enjoyed a breakout debut season after claiming two top honors at the 2025 VCT Pacific Awards. 

The 24-year-old from Paper Rex (PRX) was named both Rookie of the Year and Initiator of the Year, capping off a remarkable first campaign on the regional VALORANT circuit.

PatMen joined Paper Rex in March 2025, replacing a veteran amid doubts over the team’s frm and immediately made his presence felt as PRX stormed to success both internationally and regionally, including a title at VALORANT Masters Toronto and capturing the regional crown at VCT Pacific Stage 2.

In his acceptance remarks, PatMen expressed gratitude to teammates, coaches, and the organization, calling the Rookie award “an amazing feeling” and underscoring how memories of clutch plays in Toronto earned him the spotlight.

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happy birthday 🎂 @patmenVLR pic.twitter.com/yMyzLCXnpw

— Paper Rex (@pprxteam) December 5, 2025

He admitted that the transition to an international-level team had triggered self-doubt, yet insisted he aimed to become a reliable support for Paper Rex. Getting the Initiator award, he said, validated that hard work had paid off.

Though speculation surfaced earlier in the week about PatMen possibly being removed from PRX’s active roster and joining another group, his double-award haul makes the rumors a surprising twist, at least for now.

The awards night was dominated by Paper Rex overall. Besides PatMen’s two trophies, veteran team members and staff also collected key honors: Ilya “something” Petrov won Duelist of the Year, Khalish “d4v41” Rusyaidee took Sentinel of the Year, coach Alexandre “alecks” Sallé earned Coach of the Year, while Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto was named Player of the Year. 

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