By MARK REY MONTEJO
Setter Rain Navarro and National University-Nazareth School are expecting a tough grind when they start their title-retention bid in the 2026 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (SGVIL) Rising Stars Cup on April 20 at the La Salle Green Hills gym.
The 18-year-old Navarro, who helped power NU to back-to-back championships in the UAAP girls volleyball, spearheads the Lady Bullpups’ two-peat quest against 43 other schools, including a foreign team from New Zealand.
And Navarro knows very well, their goal wouldn’t be easy as reciting an alphabet after one of their key players in Sam Cantada already moved up to the seniors level.
“‘Yong season namin medyo [mahaba] ‘yong naging preparation namin, pero ‘yong season ng SGVIL ngayon medyo hindi sya magiging madali para samin kasi marami ring sumali,” said Navarro, a Bacolod native bagged the Season 88 Finals MVP.
“Marami po kaming kailangang i-improve sa sarili namin… kailangan lang namin malaman ‘yong mga dapat naming gawin and sundin ‘yong sistema ng mga coaches,” she added after the competition’s press conference Wednesday, April 15, at the Shakey’s Paseo de Magallanes.
With participants rising from 30 to 44, organizers have decided to have two groups with NU headlining 20-squad Division 1, while Domuschola International School banners the 24-team Division 2 field in the tournament supported by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R and B Milk Tea.
“Konti lang naman po ‘yong nawala samin sa lineup namin, okay naman po and tuloy parin ang preparation,” Navarro continued. “Siyempre ‘di po natin alam kung ganun paring ‘yong magiging sistema nila… basta kami iniisip lang namin ‘yong kaya naming gawin at magtiwala sa sistema.”
Those divisions would be split into eight pools: four pools with five teams each in Group 1, while six schools per pool in Group 2.
“We’re continuing with having two divisions in the SGVIL. Since the establishment of the second division last year, more schools have approached us and expressed interest in joining the league,” said Dr. Ian Laurel, president of the league organizer Athletic Events and Sports Management, Inc. (ACES).
“So, the interest at the high school level in joining the Shakey’s GVIL has exponentially grown, and it is an honor for us, a pleasure for us to be able to host them again this year,” he added.
Same as last year, top two teams from their respective pools will barge into the do-or-die quarterfinal. The semis and final round, which is scheduled on May 1, are also set in a sudden death but in best-of-five sets.
However, the winners and bridesmaid this time will be invited to the SGVIL Invitationals where several US-based high school teams and a Japanese squad will see action this July.
The Lady Bullpups, who beat Bacolod Tay Tung in a cardiac five-set finale last year, lead Pool A alongside King’s Montessori, inaugural champion California Academy, Lyceum of the Philippines Academy and Bethel Academy.
Three-time runner-up Bacolod Tay Tung is in Pool B with Canossa Academy, Holy Rosary College, University of Perpetual Help System-Dalta and Immaculate Conception College.
De La Salle-Lipa, Far Eastern University-Diliman, University of the Philippines Integrated School, San Felipe Neri Catholic School and St. John’s Institute composed Pool C while in Pool D are 2024 champion Adamson University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Chiang Kai Shek College, University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle Santiago-Zobel.
Domuschola International School, which overpowered Everest International Academy in straight sets in the finals last year, opted to stay in Division 2 for a back-to-back bid in the grassroots volleyball league backed by Smart Sports, PusoP.com, Solar Sports Free TV, Mikasa, Asics, Team Rebel Sports and Rigour Technology as technical partners.
Joining the Pasig-based squad in Pool E are Miriam College, Corpus Christi School, The Beacon Academy, MGC-New Life Christian Academy and San Beda University.
In Pool F are Everest International Academy, La Salle Green Hills, Diverse Auckland Cubs, Saint Pedro Poveda College, St. Theresa’s College-Quezon City, UST-B; together in Pool G are Immaculate Conception Academy-Greenhills, Assumption-Antipolo, NU-Nazareth School Team B, St. Jude Parish School, CCF-The Life Academy and PACE Academy while Pool H is composed of St. Paul College-Pasig, La Salle Zobel-B, St. John Institute Team B, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo De Cebu, Bacolod Tay Tung Team B and University of Batangas High School.
Preliminary round matches in both divisions will be played in best-of-three sets. All frames, including the deciding set, will be played up to 25 points.
The top two teams in each pool will advance to the knockout quarterfinal. Both semifinal and final matches are one-game affairs and will be played in best-of-five sets.
