WNCAA kicks off 45th season

MANILA, Philippines - The Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) kicks off its 45th season on Saturday with 16 schools, led by host La Salle College-Antipolo, seeing action at the Rizal Coliseum.

Centro Escolar University opens its bid for a fourth straight seniors title against San Beda College Alabang at 3 p.m. while De La Salle Zobel, also a three-time defending champion in the midgets level, faces Poveda in the 12 noon opener.

LSCA will take on St. Paul College Pasig in the juniors division at 1:30 p.m.

The opening rites will start at 11 a.m. at the nearby Ninoy Aquino Stadium. De La Salle University volleyball player Mika Reyes, who played for St. Scholastica’s College in the WNCAA during her high school years, will be the guest speaker. This year’s theme is “Women in Action @ Forth Fifth Season.”

The volleyball event will start on Sunday at St. Scholastica’s gym with seven matches, including the 12:30 p.m. encounter between seniors defending champion San Beda and Assumption College. The Rizal Technological University gym in Mandaluyong will also be a venue for volley matches. 

RTU, eyeing a fifth straight seniors futsal title, meets CEU at 10:30 a.m. when competition starts Aug. 17 at University of Asia and the Pacific gym in Pasig.

“This is a perfect opportunity for LSCA to host WNCAA because this is our 10th year as league member and 30th year as an academic institution,” said LSCA executive vice chancellor Jimelo Tipay during yesterday’s press conference at Aristocrat Restaurant on Roxas Boulevard. “We are happy to play a role in WNCAA’s mission to empower women and produce successful women athletes.”

Among those who joined Tipay in the press conference were LSCA head of Sports Development Arvin Flores, WNCAA officials led by executive director Ma. Vivian Manila, president Yolanda Co and secretary-general Ma. Angelica dela Cruz and commissioners Eric Manalili (futsal) and Adrian Tabañag.

Other competing schools are Angelicum College, Chiang Kai Shek College, Miriam College, Philippine Women’s University, St. Jude Catholic School and St. Stephen’s High School.

Badminton, swimming, taekwondo, lawn tennis, table tennis, softball and cheerleading and cheerdance will be held in 2015. The league hopes to add poomsae to its calendar starting the 46th season.