As University of Santo Tomas hopes to continue its quest for excellence next season, Far Eastern University turns over the hosting rights for Season 81 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines today to National University.
UST finished its campaign by winning its 42nd overall championship in the 80-year history of the league.
Incoming chairman Nilo Ocampo of NU will receive the turnover flag from Dr. Michael Alba of FEU during the official closing of Season 80 at the newly renovated FEU Auditorium inside the FEU Morayta campus.
Chito Loyzaga will no longer be sitting as head of the newly formed board of managing directors after he moved on to head the NU Sports Academy.
A new managing director will be named in his place, according to former athletics’ director Marc Galido, now the university’s vice president for student affairs.
The closing rites start at 4:30 p.m.
The short ceremony will feature a tribute to the league’s greats over the years, highlighted by the awarding of the Athletes of the Year.
During the season, UST claimed six titles from the total 16 sporting disciplines and collected 281.5 points.
UST won its last crown from the women’s beach volleyball tandem of Cherry Rondina and Caitlyn Viray, who beat the team from FEU.
Championships in women’s tennis, women’s track and field, and judo (men’s and women’s) were also among UST’s title conquests this season. They also finished second in both men’s and womens’ football, men’s beach volleyball, table tennis (men’s and women’s), men’s fencing and softball.
The La Salle Green Archers finished a close second with 271 points, with gold medals won in women’s indoor volleyball, women’s football, women’s table tennis, women’s chess and women’s badminton.
UP, which claimed the men’s football honors, finished in the podium with 234 points, while Ateneo was fourth with 228.5 anchored on its wins in men’s basketball and a double title in swimming.
National University got 180 points behind first places in women’s basketball, men’s volleyball, men’s beach volleyball, men’s chess, men’s table tennis, men’s badminton and a sweep in taekwondo.