SEPTEMBER 8, 2018: NBA Superstar Stephen Curry leas the oath taking of the athletes during the UAAP 81 opening ceremony at the Mall of Asia Arena. INQUIRER PHOTO/ Sherwin Vardeleon
MANILA, Philippines—A general champion will be crowned at the end of UAAP Season 84 despite it having just eight events.
UAAP President Emmaniel Calanog said this could be the other schools’ chance to get the year’s biggest trophy as not all members field lineups to all events in previous seasons.
“Yes, we will have a general championship,” said Calanog in a press conference Friday. “Some of our schools don’t participate in all of the events and this may be their chance to actually win a general championship.”
University of Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines, Ateneo, and De La Salle are the only schools capable of sending teams to all of the UAAP’s previous 16 events.
Season 84, however, will only feature limited events like men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, cheerdance, men’s and women’s 3×3, men’s beach volleyball, poomsae, and men’s and women’s chess.
Calanog added that there are “six or seven schools” capable of sending student-athletes to all events this year.
The last time the UAAP awarded a general champion was in Season 81 when UST captured both titles in the senior and juniors divisions.
The UAAP employs a point system for the general championship with the champion team of its respective event earning 15 points while the runner-up and third placer get 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Those who fall outside the top three are awarded points in consequent order of finish: 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1.
UST holds the most general championships with 44 in the seniors division and 21 in the juniors level.
Far Eastern University has the second most general championships with 16, all of which in the collegiate level.