Alyssa Valdez to grace WNCAA opening as guest of honor

MANILA, Philippines – Alyssa Valdez, the face of Philippine volleyball today, will be the guest of honor when the 47th Women's National Collegiate Athletic Association season unfurls on Saturday at the Makati Coliseum.

"She's a shining example for our students that female athletes can also succeed if you put passion into it, just like our theme," said WNCAA executive Vivian Manila in Wednesday's press launch at St. Jude College in Manila.

Manila said the league's theme this year is "Women on Fire: A Legacy of Passion."

St. Jude Catholic School was named host this year for the first time and have lined up basketball, badminton, cheerdance (elementary), cheerleading, futsal, poomsae, softball, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis and volleyball.

Angelicum College, Assumption College San Lorenzo, Centro Escolar University, Chiang Kai Shek College, De La Salle Zobel, La Salle College Antipolo, Miriam College, Philippine Women's University, Rizal Technological University, Saint Pedro Poveda College, San Beda Alabang, St. Paul College Pasig, St. Scholastica's College, St. Stephen's High School, and University of Asia & the Pacific are the other member schools.

Manila said the inaugurals is scheduled to start at 10 a.m., and will be followed by basketball juniors matches pairing the host St. Jude College versus St. Stephen at 12 p.m., the senior game between CEU and RTU at 1:30 p.m. and another senior duel between Miriam and PWU at 3 p.m.

Manila said the opening number will be highlighted by a production number that will show the Fil-Chinese culture where in a dragon dance, lion heads and fire dances will be aplenty.

TV5/ Aksyon TV are the WNCAA's official television partner.