National University completed its dominant campaign in the University Athletic Association badminton competition, capturing its record-extending 10th men’s overall championship, while University of the Philippines prevailed in a tight women’s race to claim its 11th crown.
The Bulldogs finished with 25.875 points, capping their campaign with a near-sweep of the gold medals in the team event, a 1-2 finish in singles, and a silver-medal in doubles at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City.
Clarence Villaflor sealed NU’s championship campaign with a 24-22, 21-12 victory over teammate and graduating captain Lanz Zafra in an all-Bulldogs men’s singles final. Villaflor was subsequently named Season MVP.
‘Winning the overall championship makes this even more special for us. Our victory in the team event really helped us a lot,’ Zafra said.
Zafra is graduating, while the rest of the squad will return next season.
‘I hope the legacy I’m leaving at NU gives the team momentum to keep winning championships. I’m confident they can do it again next year and continue to get better,’ he added.
Ateneo finished second overall with 20.7 points, highlighted by its first-ever men’s doubles championship. Last season’s MVP Lyrden Laborte and co-captain Robby Ramos defeated NU’s Ben Dictado and John Benedict Gam, 21-13, 21-15, to prevent a Bulldogs sweep.
UP completed the men’s podium with 17.25 points after finishing third in the team event. Shan Clar claimed bronze in singles, while Arjay Lazareto and Ryan Mendoza added another bronze in doubles.
In women’s play, UP secured its record 11th overall championship with 20.875 points, edging Ateneo (20.8) and NU (20.7) in a tightly contested race.
The Fighting Maroons clinched the title through the women’s doubles victory of graduating players Kimberly Lao and Susmita Ramos, who rallied past Adamson University’s Mary Untal and Jasmine Reformina, 19-21, 21-9, 21-17.
Ramos said the team regrouped after several setbacks during the tournament and remained focused on finishing the season strongly.
‘There were some upsets over the past few days, but we just had to reset and refocus on what else we could do. We gave it everything we had and stayed tough,’ said Ramos.
‘I’m just really happy because this is my last season. It makes it even more special that we didn’t just settle for bronze but managed to win the overall championship,’ she added.
Ateneo, despite winning the women’s team event, wound up second overall, just 0.075 points behind UP. The Blue Eagles collected two bronze medals in doubles through Daena Castro and Andrea Hernandez, and Angel Valle and Althea Hernandez.
NU finished third with 20.7 points, with captain and Season MVP Sab Amora providing a highlight in her final UAAP season. Amora completed an undefeated campaign, defeating UP’s Brys Fuggan, 21-14, 21-16, in the women’s singles final.
‘I can’t even explain how I feel right now. I’m overwhelmed. Even though we lost the team event and finished third overall, I’m still so happy that I was able to win this gold medal for NU,’ Amora said.
The graduating captain also shared her advice for her NU teammates, urging them to focus on their performance rather than feel pressured to win.
‘I don’t want to put too much pressure on them. The more I tell them that they need to win gold, the more they tend to overthink. I just tell them to do their best because that’s how they’ll put themselves in the best position to win,’ she said.
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Meanwhile, men’s doubles quarterfinalist Jacinth Paul Ruedas was named Men’s Rookie of the Year, while Adamson’s Untal and Reformina shared the Women’s Rookie of the Year award.
Under the three-event format, the overall champions were determined by combining each team’s points from the team event and individual singles and doubles competitions. A maximum of two singles and two doubles results counted toward each school’s overall tally.