Miriam College, RTU top WNCAA sportsfest

Miriam College and Rizal Technological University (RTU) ran away with three crowns each, while San Beda College Alabang (SBCA) bagged two titles in the recent four-event sportsfest of the 42nd Women's National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA), held at the SBCA grounds. Miriam retained its midget and juniors' taekwondo titles and unseated De La Salle Zobel in midget badminton to up its season haul to four championships, including last year's junior volleyball plum. RTU retained the seniors' crowns in table tennis and taekwondo, and ruled juniors' swimming to add to its earlier wins in senior's volleyball and seniors' futsal. San Beda, likewise, kept its midget and seniors' swimming titles. In other results, La Salle Antipolo defended its juniors badminton title, while Philippine Women's University (PWU) topped the seniors division. St. Stephen's High School (SSHS) wrested the juniors table tennis title away from La Salle Antipolo. Season host Centro Escolar University had earlier topped seniors' basketball. Most Valuable Players (MVP) citations were given to Mikaela Francine Vargas (Miriam College), Ali Candelaria (La Salle Antipolo) and Jessamine Quennie Dinio (PWU) for badminton; Richanda Ching (SSHS) and Denelyn Dionio (RTU) for table tennis; and Clare Gascon and Francine Pauline Alarilla (Miriam) and Dyan Paglinawan (RTU) for taekwondo. Topping their respective divisions in swimming were Katrina Mae Garcia of San Beda (midgets), Catherine Bondad of San Beda (juniors') and Edzen Faye Dinglasan of CEU (seniors'). Up next for the country's first and only tri-level league for women is the Naga City National Games on February 16 to 20. The juniors' and seniors' cheerleading competition and closing rites are set  on February 26 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. — AMD/JVP, GMA News