UAAP women’s volleyball kicks off at MOA Arena

National University vs Adamson University in opener

REIGNING champion National University (NU) is still the barometer but all teams agreed in declaring the climb to the top as a wide-open race this time in the highly-anticipated UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament firing off on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

All eight coaches were in unison to declare everyone as the “team to beat” given the long offseason preparations this time around compared to Season 84 when teams had to adjust under the new normal and little to no warm-up events due to the pandemic.

“You must prepare for all the team,” said Shaq Delos Santos of University of the Philippines, one of the returning UAAP mentors along with Adamson’s Jerry Yee and Far Eastern U’s Tina Salak.

“We respect every team so we should be ready and well-prepared against everybody,” added NU mentor Karl Dimaculangan as the Lady Bulldogs shoot for back-to-back crowns.

Just right after the compressed Season 84 last June, the entire Philippine volleyball landscape sprung back to action with a bevy of local tournaments led by the inaugural Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Pre-season Conference.

NU, with an intact core that completed a 16-0 campaign in Season 84 for its first title in 65 years, went on to sweep De La Salle University as well — making the Lady Bulldogs an even stronger force to deal with according to Ateneo de Manila University mentor Oliver Almadro.

“NU is the champion team while De La Salle University, Adamson University and University of Santo Tomas have intact line-ups. We have to watch out for them,” he said as the Ateneo Blue Eagles also ruled the V-League Collegiate Conference late last year as part of their UAAP build-up.

NU’s sweep last season prompted a stepladder Final Four featuring runner-up De La Salle with semifinalists Santo Tomas and Ateneo. Adamson barely missed the cut at No. 5 after a knockout loss to Ateneo.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Michael Verano said a challenge system will be implemented starting in the second round of the eliminations. The UAAP will also shift back to pre-pandemic routines, including allowing handshakes and changing courts, and the opening of the patron area to the audience.

Adamson and NU take centerstage in the opener this Saturday against University of the East and Ateneo, at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively. Their men’s counterparts also see action at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. — John Bryan Ulanday