For the first time in league history, the NCAA will have a battle for third place in all but two events including the ongoing senior basketball.

“There’s a battle for third in all events,” said NCAA Management Committee chair Paul Supan of Season 99 host Jose Rizal University.

All third placers will receive trophies except for centerpiece track and field and medal-rich swimming, which will not have a battle for third but the eventual No. 3 will still receive plaques.

“Yes lahat, except swimming and track and field pero meron third place plaque,” said Supan. “It was included in the proposed improvements this season that was approved by the policy board.”

Already, the new rule was implemented in taekwondo, badminton and chess that were concluded a month ago.

College of St. Benilde, which lost to Mapua in the Final Four, and Lyceum of the Philippines will go down in history as the first to play in the novel system.