UP’s Molde hopes seniors can still play in UAAP Season 83

Isa Molde. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Isa Molde is just one of the many student-athletes who was saddened with the cancellation of the 82nd season of the UAAP, but she still kept a positive mindset despite the glum circumstances.

The still in effect enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, which was implemented to curb the effects of COVID-19, was what forced the UAAP Board to cancel Season 82 ultimately.

Molde was in her fifth season University of the Philippines in the 2019-20 academic year and her supposed swansong was abruptly ended due to the health crisis.

“Right now, I’m thinking that I hope this year wasn’t counted because we played just two games and that’s it?” said Molde in a message to INQUIRER. “I’m looking at what happened with the NCAA because they didn’t count this one as the final year of some of the graduating students.”

The NCAA’s student-athletes whose tournaments have been affected by the ECQ are still eligible to play in Season 96 as long as they haven’t finished their college degree and should not be over the age of 25.

As for Molde’s case, she hopes that similar guidelines could be applied in the UAAP especially since she’s only 21-years-old.

The UAAP Board will convene via video call on Tuesday to discuss how to go on to Season 83, including the eligibility of those who were in their fifth year in Season 82.

While living in uncertainty, Molde said that she expected Season 82 to be canceled due to COVID-19, but the news of it still stung her.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet, and I mean I expected that this would happen because of COVID-19 but it’s still sad that it happened,” said Molde. “On the brighter side since the season’s over, us UAAP athletes can focus on our academics or can help other people.”