By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Host Assumption College-San Lorenzo (Makati) and 15 other member schools are all excited for the opening of the 56th season of the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) on Sunday, Sept. 6.
A simple opening ceremony is set at the Makati Coliseum with the theme “Breaking Barriers, Building Legacies” as the league aims to strengthen its vision of promoting women empowerment through sports.
“We celebrate not only the athletic skill, but also the courage, determination and trailblazing spirit of women,” said Sr. Irene Cecile Torres, R.A., president of the Assumption College during the press conference on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
“Our theme this year is more than a slogan. It is a call to action. It unites us that every time we step into the arena, we are not just playing for ourselves; we are also paving the way for others.
“We are breaking stereotypes and proving that women belong in every field of the arena,” she added.
A total of 13 sports will be staged this season that include basketball, volleyball, futsal, badminton, swimming, chess, taekwondo, poomsae, table tennis, cheerleading, street dance and cheerdance.
Other members of the country’s first and only tri-level league for women (elementary, high school and college) are 12-straight basketball champion Centro Escolar University, Assumption Antipolo, Chiang Kai Shek College, De La Salle Santiago Zobel School, La Salle College Antipolo, Miriam College, Philippine Women’s University, Saint Jude Catholic School, San Beda College Alabang, St. Paul College Pasig, St Scholastica’s College, St. Stephen’s High School, University of Asia & Pacific, University of Makati, and University of Santo Tomas-Angelicum College.
Ushering the opening will be a triple-header in basketball 5×5 pitting host Assumption College against Assumption Antipolo at 1 p.m., followed by Angelicum against St. Jude at 2:30 p.m., and CEU vs University of Makati at 4 p.m.
Volleyball, futsal and basketball 3×3 start on Sunday, Sept. 7.
