By Nikole Javier
The University Athletic Association of the Philippines has announced the return of its full sporting calendar of 21 sports for Season 85.
After two years of limited activities due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the collegiate league will now have a total of 60 events starting with the men’s seniors basketball which will kick off on Oct. 1.
Aside from the centerpiece basketball tournament, the upcoming season will see the return of women’s basketball, badminton, chess, table tennis, men’s and women’s beach volleyball along with swimming, athletics, cheerdance competition, judo, taekwondo, men’s and women’s football, men’s and women’s volleyball, fencing, softball, baseball, 3×3 basketball, streetdance and lawn tennis.
The opening will be held through a recorded ceremony followed by the matchup of host school Adamson and UST, while reigning champion UP and De La Salle will cap off the double-header.
UAAP President Fr. Aldrin Suan of host school Adamson and executive director Atty. Rebo Saguisag announced the development on Tuesday, Sept. 20 during an online session of Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Facebook.
“Actually, ‘yong background ng “Rise As One” is always the pandemic. Alam naman natin for the past more than two years, lugmok tayo. It’s not just na na-cancel ‘yong UAAP. Alam natin all of us were affected. And in one way or another, emotionally, we are down, economically, we are down, socially, we are down. Ni-limit ang ating mga movements. Having this kind of theme of “Rise As One” na parang we are back to (being) full of life,” said Suan.