The two premier collegiate sports tournaments-Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-are now in full swing.
The UAAP is an athletic association of eight Metro Manila universities, composed of the University of the Philippines (UP), Adamson University (AdU), Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), De La Salle University (DLSU), Far Eastern University (FEU), National University (NU), University of the East (UE), and University of Santo Tomas (UST).
The NCAA is composed of Arellano University (AU), Colegio de San Juan de Letran, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (CSB), Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), José Rizal University (JRU), Lyceum of the Philippines University, Mapúa University, San Beda University, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA.
Established in 1924, NCAA is the oldest collegiate athletic association in the country with its original members AdMU, De La Salle College, Institute of Accounts (now FEU), NU, San Beda, University of Manila, UP and UST.
UAAP was formed in 1938 when FEU, NU, UP, and UST left NCAA and became the original members of UAAP. Adamson and UE joined in 1952, followed by Ateneo in 1978 and DLSU in 1986.
Each UAAP school has its own moniker: Soaring Falcons for Adamson, Blue Eagles for Ateneo, Green Archers for DLSU, Tamaraws for FEU, Bulldogs for NU, Red Warriors for UE, Fighting Maroons for UP, and Growling Tigers for UST.
The monikers for NCAA schools are: Chiefs for Arellano, Knights for Letran, Blazers for CSB, Generals for EAC, Pirates for Lyceum, Cardinals for Mapua, Red Lions for San Beda, Golden Stags for San Sebastian, and Altas for Perpetual.
UAAP schools compete in 28 events from 15 sports to vie for the overall championship title.
First semester sports that run from August to December include athletics, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, cheer dance, chess, E-sports, football, judo, swimming, table tennis, and taekwondo.
Second semester sports from January to May include baseball, fencing, softball, street dance, tennis, volleyball, and 3×3 basketball.
The NCAA schools compete in 14 sports: basketball, soccer, poomsae, swimming, taekwondo, track and field, chess, tennis (lawn and soft), table tennis, badminton, volleyball, and beach volleyball. The last three sporting events have a women’s division.
The colors of the UAAP members are green and maroon for UP, gold and white for UST, gold and green for FEU, gold and blue for NU, blue and white for Ateneo, green and white for DLSU, blue and white for Adamson, and red and white for UE.
The official colors of NCAA schools are: red, gold and black for Mapúa, blue and red for Letran, red and white for San Beda, blue and red for Arellano, red and gray for Lyceum, blue and yellow for JRU, red and white for EAC, maroon, gold and white for Perpetual, gold and red for San Sebastian, and green and white for CSB.
The theme for UAAP Season 88 is ‘Strength in Motion, Hope in Action,’ with UST as host, while NCAA Season 101 is ‘Building Greatness,’ with Mapúa as host.
The UAAP Season 88 logo features two interlocking number eights forming a flame at the center that represents passion, strength, and teamwork. The shared strokes between the two figures symbolize the unity among UAAP schools, while the flame captures the collective pursuit of excellence.
UAAP is hosted by UST for this Season 88, to be followed by FEU for next season, NU, Ateneo, DLSU, Adamson, UE and back again to Season 87 host UP.
UP used to be a founding member of the NCAA from 1924 until it withdrew in 1930 and later became a founding member of UAAP in 1938.
UP hosted UAAP 13 times for seasons 12 (1949-50), 16 (1953-54), 20 (1957-58), 26 (1963-64), 31 (1968-69), 36 (1973-74), 42 (1979-80), 46 (1983-84), 54 (1991-92), 62 (1999-2000), 71 (2008-09) 78 (2015-16) and 87 (2024-25).
UP teams that emerged champions for Season 87 are basketball and athletics in the men’s division, and badminton for women’s division, as well as street dance.
Three UP women athletes were awarded Most Valuable Players (MVP): Anthea Marie Gonzales for badminton, Nickole dela Cruz for softball, and Jufe Anne Cocoy for tennis.
Shan Clar was MVP for men’s badminton.
Three athletes from the UP Integrated School (UPIS) were also awarded MVP: Justine Hallare for boys’ basketball, Liv Abegail Florendo for girls’ swimming, and Rom Ivan Eguia for boys’ table tennis.
Season 87 is UP’s fourth championship title in Men’s Basketball, with their first title all the way back in 1939 (Season 2), then followed it up 47 years later in 1986 (Season 49), then 36 years later in 2022 (Season 84).
After the first round in UAAP Mens’ Basketball division, as of October 19, 2025, NU is on the top with 6 wins 1 loss, followed by UST (5 wins, 2 losses), UP (4 wins, 3 losses), DLSU (4-3), ADMU (4-3), AdU (3-4), FEU (2-5) and UE (0-7).
Peyups is the moniker of the University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0917-5025808