The Universities and Colleges Athletic League (UCAL) opens its ninth season this Saturday, September 19, at the Playtime Filoil Centre in San Juan City, launching the action with a high-energy streetdance contest.
Host school Manila Central University (MCU) promises a grand opening ceremony, while Centro Escolar University (CEU) aims to defend its championship titles.
The launch will feature all nine member institutions, including MCU, CEU, Philippine Women’s University, Diliman College, Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas, University of Batangas, Lyceum-Batangas, Olivarez College, and Immaculada Concepcion College.
Musical performances by local acts Matthaios and Lola Amour will complete the opening event.
UCAL officials emphasized the league’s growing competitiveness and expanding lineup of sporting events during a press conference on Monday.
“As expected every year, the league will get more exciting, the teams get more excited to play on the floor, we have other sports events that we’re building up this UCAL Season 9. So, everybody is strong this season,” UCAL chairman Horacio Lim said.
“So we expect it to be more challenging, we’ll do our best with fair play and everybody has the chance to become champion.”
MCU strategic advisor for sports Javier Lopez-Sanz Chulvi highlighted this year’s theme, “Unstoppable Together.”
“The message we hang ‘Unstoppable Together’ is around ambition and sharing a common goal. We believe that UCAL teams have really done a great job these past few seasons in establishing and growing in this league,” Lopez-Sanz Chulvi said.
“We do share that vision, we have the potential to become bigger and better. We just want to highlight the togetherness in this mission. All these schools, athletes, coaches, even the presidents, all our communities, we’re pushing the same direction, we believe we can be unstoppable and keep making UCAL better every season, make it more competitive.”
The first half of the season features men’s and women’s volleyball starting later this month at the UB Gymnasium, with the semifinals and finals held at the Paco Arena in Manila. Esports and badminton tournaments are slated for November.
The second half of the season kicks off on February 19, featuring table tennis alongside the defense of CEU’s 5-on-5 and 3-on-3 men’s basketball titles. A new U19 basketball division with six participating schools will also make its debut.
League organizers are preparing for further expansion in sports and member schools ahead of UCAL’s 10th anniversary season.