WNCAA brings curtains up on 45th season

Games today (Rizal Memorial Coliseum)

12 noon – DLSZ vs Poveda (midgets)

1:30 p.m. – LSCA vs St. Paul

3 p.m. – CEU vs San Beda

MANILA, Philippines - Centro Escolar University opens its bid for a fourth straight championship against San Beda College-Alabang as the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) kicks off its 45th season at Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

Officials of host La Salle College Antipolo said they have prepared for months for the opening rites starting at 11 a.m. at the nearby Ninoy Aquino Stadium with Mika Reyes, the De La Salle ace spiker who once played for the junior team of St. Scholastica’s College, as guest speaker. This year’s theme is “Women in Action @ Forth Fifth Season.”

CEU, starring last season’s MVP Janine Pontejos, battles SBC-A at  3 p.m. while LSCA tangles with St. Paul College Pasig in the juniors division at 1:30 p.m. De La Salle Zobel, also a three-time defending champion in the midgets level, faces Poveda in the 12 noon opener.

“CEU is still the team to beat,” said WNCAA executive director Ma. Vivian Manila.  “But many schools have also improved the past years, they hired very good coaches. Hopefully, they will all give CEU a good fight.”

San Beda, the senior volleyball defending champion, meets Assumption College at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday at St. Scholastica’s gym while reigning four-time senior futsal champion Rizal Technological University goes up against CEU on Aug. 17 at University of Asia & the Pacific gym in Pasig.

DLSZ was the winningest school in the 44th season with five titles – midgets basketball, junior and midgets volleyball, junior futsal and midgets badminton – while RTU also bagged seniors titles in badminton, taekwondo and table tennis during the 44th season. San Beda copped two crowns, junior and midgets swimming and Miriam College also had two, junior badminton and midgets taekwondo.

LSCA executive vice chancellor Jimelo Tipay said their preparations started early this year and their players are in good shape.  

“We also want to keep our junior taekwondo title and I trust our Sports Development office, headed by Arvin Flores, made all the right preparations for the other events as well,” said Tipay.

Other competing schools in the league being supported by Mikasa, Molten, OneA Bed and Breakfast, Goody, Monster Radio RX 93.1 and AksyonTV  are Angelicum College, Chiang Kai Shek College, Philippine Women’s University, St. Jude Catholic School and St. Stephen’s High School.

Badminton, swimming, taekwondo, lawn tennis, table tennis, softball and cheerleading and cheerdance will be held in 2015.  

For details, schedules and results, visit www.wncaaph.com or email [email protected].