Bigger, better UCAA in offing

Expect the 2003 edition of the Universities and Colleges Athletics Association (UCAA) to be bigger and better.

League president Tisha Abundo made the assurance when she guested in yesterday’s PSA Forum at the Manila Pavilion.

"We’re looking forward to a better 2003 season and made the most out of the gains we accomplished last year," she said in the public sports program backed by Red Bull, Agfa Colors and Pagcor.

Eight teams–Saint Francis of Assisi, Philippine School of Business Administration-QC, La Salle Manila and Dasmariñas, National School of Business and Arts, Olivarez College, Emilio Aguinaldo College-Manila and San Sebastian College-Cavite–are seeing action in the events of basketball (men’s and women’s) and volleyball (men’s and women’s).

All member schools are also affiliated with the National Capital Region Athletics Association (NCRAA), a league, which Abundo helped establish.

The current lull in the NCRAA season prompted Abundo to put up UCCA last year in order to have continuity "in the sports programs of these schools." Abundo was a former commissioner in the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

Set to open this Friday at the Blue Eagle gym (formerly Ateneo gym) in Katipunan and telecast over NBN-4, opening day hostilities feature host PSBA-QC going up against NCBA and SFAC meeting DLSU-Dasmariñas.

Former Crispa player Philip Cezar has been named league commissioner.