The stage is set for another volleyball action as 18 schools join the Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship which fires off Friday, Sept. 27, at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

In its third edition, the tournament features 10 NCAA teams and eighth UAAP squads led by back-to-back champion National University.

The Lady Bulldogs will face a tough challenge in their title bid with De La Salle and University of the Philippines taking part in the competition backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea and Summit Water.

Dr. Ian Laurel, the president of organizer Athletic Events and Sports Management, Inc. (ACES), expressed his excitement with the upcoming tournament.

“All 18 schools are confirmed. This is our third conference this season. This is our flagship conference. Our main event,” Laurel said. “The goal really was to get all 18 schools, the 10 NCAA teams and eight UAAP schools. We’re happy that we’re able to do that this year.”

The competition format will divide the 18 participating teams in four pools; NU, Arellano, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Ateneo de Manila University and San Beda University in Pool A; UST, Lyceum, Mapua, UE and Perpetual  in Pool B; La Salle, Letran, JRU and UP in Pool C; and NCAA champion College of Saint Benilde, San Sebastian College-Recoletos and Adamson in Pool D.

In each pool, the top two squads will barge into the next round where they will be grouped into two brackets, taking with them their preliminary points which will dictate their seeding in the quarterfinals.

The top two finishers will have a twice-to-beat advantage heading into the crossover quarters of the tourney which has Mikasa, Asics, Rebel Sports, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), SM Tickets and Smart Sports as technical partners.

For the opening day, SSC-R will square off with FEU in the curtain raiser set at 3:30 p.m. while Lyceum battles UE at 6 p.m.  

All players listed in a team’s roster will be fielded under the tournament’s unique all-to-play format while the video challenge system will also be implemented.