A mixture of collegiate and club teams clash starting on Sunday, Feb. 4, when the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) Champions League fires off at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

College of St. Benilde banners the women’s field as it tries to defend the title in November when the annual tournament was momentarily renamed Challenge Cup, while Cignal hopes to regain the glory it lost to University of Santo Tomas.

Competing the women’s cast are Army and Premier Volleyball League teams Cignal, Chery Tiggo and Petro Gazz.

Joining Cignal in the men’s side, meanwhile, are Coast Guard-Navy, Savouge Spin Doctors and St. Benilde in Pool A, and VNS Asereht, Iloilo D’Navigators, Air Force and Army in Pool B.

Women’s hostilities heat up on Sunday until Feb. 10, while men’s action starts on Feb. 11 until 17.

CSB’s Jessa Dorog expressed the team’s excitement for the tournament, which they are using as part of their preparations for the NCAA Season in April.

“Dagdag experience ito para samin since ang makakalaban namin mga pros,” said Dorog during Friday’s press conference at the Philippine Sports Commission Conference Room.

Newly-acquired Chery Tiggo spiker Aby Maraño also shared the same enthusiasm.

“We’re excited to start the year with a bang. We want to start it with good intentions and we also want to learn from the young ones,” said Maraño.

“We’re not working early in the morning for nothing, kaya ang goal talaga namin dito ay maging champion,” she added.

Army and Petro Gazz raise the curtain at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, followed by Cignal and Chery Tiggo at 6 p.m.

The Champions League matches will be aired live on One Sports and One Sports+ and livestreamed on Pilipinas Live and on a delayed basis on Cignal.