WNCAA 40th season unwraps

MANILA, Philippines - The Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) welcomes the addition of new squad St. Jude Catholic School and the return of founding member Chiang Kai Shek College as it kicks off its 40th season on Saturday at the Astrodome.

St. Jude will field teams in the midgets and juniors levels while CKSC, which took a leave of absence last year, aims to reclaim the junior basketball championship it won two years ago.

Senior division teams St. Francis of Assisi College and World Citi Colleges are out this season after the former failed to meet the league’s required number of events while the latter lacked players in some events.

Host Angelicum College and St. Scholastica’s College kick off hostilities in the juniors match at 2 p.m. while defending senior champion A champion Lyceum plays Rizal Technological University in the 3:30 p.m. seniors game of the country’s only tri-level league for women which will have the theme “Women’s Power and Unity at 40.”

The Lyceum Lady Pirates have won the Senior A basketball title the last three years and the Senior A volleyball crown the last nine years.

“It is time again to showcase the skills of our finest female athletes and we can assure our supporters of the highest quality of play and sportsmanship,” said WNCAA president Ma. Vivian Manila of St. Scholastica during a press conference yesterday at the Aristocrat restaurant in Malate. “Everyone in the league is excited about the coming season because it is our 40th year. Not all leagues survive for 40 years.” – Joey Villar