WNCAA Kicksoff Season 43

Eighteen schools led by host De La Salle Zobel will comprise the 43rd season of the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) which unfurls its new season on Saturday, Aug. 4, at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

DLSZ will be joined by Rizal Technological University, Angelicum College, Assumption College,  St. Scholastica’s College, Miriam College, Emilio Aguinaldo College, University of Asia & the Pacific, San Beda College Alabang, Centro Escolar University, Philippine Women’s University, Saint Pedro Poveda College, St Paul College Pasig, Chiang Kai Shek College, St. Stephen’s High School, La Salle College Antipolo, St. Jude Catholic School and La Consolacion College Manila.

Assumption is back after a three-year absence while La Consolacion took a leave of absence last season.

Carrying the theme “Making a Difference in Women’s Sports,” the 43rd WNCAA will have competitions in badminton, basketball, cheerleading/cheerdance (midgets), futsal, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball and new addition softball, which will be for the junior division only.

As in the previous seasons, basketball, volleyball and futsal will be played during the first semester while the rest of the events will be held next year.

CEU will open its defense of its senior basketball title against PWU after the 11 a.m. opening rites.  The other senior match will pit St. Scholastica against UA&P.  Midgets defending champion DLSZ debuts Aug. 5, Sunday, against St. Stephen’s at 8:30 a.m. at the RTU gym in Mandaluyong.

Volleyball games also start Aug. 5 at the St. Scholastica gym in Manila with a seven-match schedule.  Defending senior champion RTU opens its bid next Sunday, Aug. 12, against UA&P.  RTU was the winningest senior team last season, also ruling futsal, table tennis, swimming and taekwondo.

Four-time junior defending champion DLSZ kicks off the futsal event also on Aug. 12 versus St. Paul at the EAC gym in Manila.

“We all share the same passion for sports and friendly inter-scholastic competition,” said Bro. Dennis Magbanua, president of DLSZ, in Wednesday’s (Aug. 1) press conference at the Philippine Columbian Association in Paco, Manila.

For her part, long-time WNCAA president Ma. Vivian Manila of St. Scholastica said the WNCAA will continue to promote women’s sports.

“Several leagues have come and gone but the WNCAA has been around for 43 seasons now,” said Manila.  ”As long as there are women athletes, the WNCAA will continue to exist.”

The opening ceremony will be graced by former tennis champion and television personality Dyan Castillejo.  Official network partne AKTV will air the opening ceremonies on Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. over AKTV-IBC while game highlights will be aired every weekend.

The DLSZ String Ensemble and the defending DLSZ cheerdance team provided numbers during the well-attended press conference.

source: WNCAA