NU belles banner SSL collegiate cast

MANILA, Philippines — Back-to-back champion and reigning UAAP queen National U still looms as the heavy favorite even as all other squads vow a gallant challenge in the Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-Season Championship Season 3 starting today at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The Lady Bulldogs, led by MVP and Alas Pilipinas ace Bella Belen, are poised to complete a hat-trick in the 18-team cast featuring the return of La Salle and University of the Philippines after they skipped last season.

All eight schools from the UAAP and 10 from the NCAA are represented in the premier pre-season tourney, under an all-to-play format for equal opportunity for all players, and serving as an appetizer for the resumption of their mother leagues early next year.

UAAP bet Far Eastern U and NCAA’s San Sebastian College-Recoletos raise the curtains at 3:30 p.m. today followed by the Lyceum-University of the East duel at 6 p.m. as the official opening ceremony kicks off tomorrow.

FEU and SSC-R join NCAA champion St. Benilde and Adamson in Pool D as Lyceum and UE complete Pool B with Santo Tomas, Mapua and the University of Perpetual Help System-Dalta.

Headlining Pool A is NU with Arellano, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Ateneo and San Beda while La Salle leads Pool C with Letran, Jose Rizal U and UP.

But there’s more to it than just games in the third season of SSL, which will hand out cash incentives to each school from its SSL bundle promo that raised more than P11 million last season.

Then there’s the unwavering advocacy to champion the growth of women’s volleyball as SSL also holds the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (GVIL) for high school and the National Invitationals for a nationwide tourney.