NCAA Season 101 Kicks Off with New Initiatives and Expanded Sports Lineup

MANILA – The 101st season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) officially begins on Wednesday, with defending champions Mapua University (MU) hosting Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) in the men's basketball opening game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The MU Cardinals will face off against the LPU Pirates at 2:30 p.m., followed by a matchup between the College of Saint Benilde (CSB) Blazers and the San Beda University (SBU) Red Lions at 5 p.m.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairperson Patrick Gregorio is slated as the guest speaker during the opening ceremony, which starts at noon. Entertainment acts include performances by singers Thea Astley, Hannah Precillas, Naya Ambi, and Aicelle Santos.

Jose Rizal University athletic director Paul Supan, speaking at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, emphasized the significance of the milestone season. He said, "Season 101 is easy to remember, and with this year’s theme ‘Building Greatness,’ we reflect on a century of student-athletes rising to elite levels. Moving forward, in partnership with the PSC and member schools, we aim to continue contributing to the national training pool."

Joining the forum, Emilio Aguinaldo College Vice President for Administration Dr. Lorenzo Lorenzo highlighted the NCAA's plan to enhance grassroots athlete development by incorporating demonstration sports such as gymnastics, weightlifting, boxing, and golf into this year’s calendar, to be contested in the second semester.

He noted, "The NCAA and the Philippine Sports Commission collaborate closely on training and developing these grassroots athletes." Under NCAA regulations, demonstration sports that consistently feature for three years may be approved as regular events.

Notably, athletes like weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, a CSB alumna and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist, and gymnast Carlo Yulo, a two-time gold medalist at the 2024 Paris Olympics, exemplify the NCAA's role in nurturing world-class talent.

This season's basketball tournament will return to its traditional home at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. Supan remarked, "This is our home where the NCAA began, and our goal is to bring all games during the eliminations and semifinals back to this historic venue."

Junior basketball games featuring Mapua versus Lyceum and St. Benilde against San Beda are scheduled for Thursday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Additional sports including taekwondo, swimming, and lawn tennis will be held at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. The league is also hopeful to host football within this venue. Track and field events will take place at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City.