Showing the remarkable resilience of Filipinos, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) successfully held its unique season dubbed Rise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96 via its new home, GMA Network—and making history as the first collegiate athletic league in the Philippines to safely hold a sports tournament in the time of the pandemic.
Since it started last June 13, Rise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96 brought to the spotlight the student-athletes from the 10 member-schools Arellano University (AU), Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL), De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), José Rizal University (JRU), Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), Mapua University (MU), San Beda University (SBU), San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSCR), and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (UPHSD). Following health and safety protocols, NCAA showcased the students’ world-class talents in taekwondo, chess, volleyball, and basketball.
On Sunday (Aug. 8), NCAA formally wrapped up this unique season with a special program that aired on GTV and led by Season 96 Policy Board President and Colegio de San Juan de Letran President and Rector Fr. Clarence Victor C. Marquez, OP.
Fr. Marquez expressed his gratitude to the public’s support for NCAA Season 96. “Admittedly, it has been a challenging season as we joined the rest of the world in confronting this pandemic—enduring death, disease, and other difficulties; continuing with whatever remains of our plans and offering our courageous response, our wonderful hope to our member school communities, to our student-athletes, and to our fans,” he said.
Also in attendance at the NCAA Studio of Champions were the members of NCAA Management Committee.
Incoming NCAA Season 97 Policy Board President and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde President Br. Edmundo Fernandez, FSC is optimistic that the next season will be as exciting as the last.
“This year we were reminded of our national pride and the Filipino spirit through our national athletes who raised our flags and brought home medals from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Inspired by our national athletes and our students, such as Hidilyn Diaz, the first Olympic Gold Medalist of the country, we continue to provide a venue for our student-athletes to develop the values and discipline through NCAA,” Br. Fernandez ended.
“From all of us here in GMA Network, we extend our warmest congratulations to the NCAA Season 96 Policy Board and Management Committee, NCAA student-athletes and coaches, and the entire NCAA community for successfully mounting its most challenging and fruitful season yet,” said GMA Network Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon.
Rise Up Stronger: NCAA Season 96 was hosted by Martin Javier and Sophia Senoron with Anton Roxas as sports anchor.