16-school field banners the 43rd season of the WNCAA

Assumption College and La Consolacion College Manila will be back in action when the 43rd season of the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) starts at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on Saturday, the league said during Wednesday's press launching at the Philippine Columbian Sports Club in Manila.   Assumption will be competing anew in the country’s oldest all-women league after a three year hiatus while La Consolacion is coming from a one-year leave of absence to join 16 other schools led by host De La Salle Zobel .   The three schools will compete for honor and prestige against Rizal Technological University, Angelicum College, St. Scholastica's College, Miriam College, Emilio Aguinaldo College, University of Asia & the Pacific, San Beda College Alabang, Centro Escolar University, Philippine Women's University, Saint Pedro Poveda College, St Paul College Pasig, Chiang Kai Shek College, St. Stephen's High School, La Salle College Antipolo and St. Jude Catholic School.   Under the theme "Making a Difference in Women's Sports,” the 18 schools will see action in badminton, basketball, cheerleading/cheerdance (midgets), futsal, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball and new addition softball. Softball will be played only in the junior division.   Ma. Vivian Manila of St. Scholastica said that like in the previous seasons, competitions in basketball, volleyball and futsal will be held in the first semester while the rest of the events will be played next year.   Centro Escolar will start its title-retention bid in seniors division basketball against PWU right after the opening ceremonies set at 11 a.m. This will be followed by the match between St. Scholastica and UA&P.   The next day, midgets defending champion DLSZ will likewise start its own title-retention campaign against St. Stephen at 8:30 in the morning at the RTU gym in Mandaluyong.   Also on Sunday, St. Scholastica will host the volleyball games with a seven-match schedule. However defending champion RTU will not see action until the next Sunday, August 12, when it goes up against UA&P.   RTU stamped its class in the senior division last season as it also dominated futsal, table tennis, swimming and taekwondo.   "Several leagues have come and gone but the WNCAA has been around for 43 seasons now," added Manila, the long-time head of the league. "As long as there are women athletes, the WNCAA will continue to exist."   Bro. Dennis Magbanua of host DLSZ said that his school is part of the WNCAA because it too has the passion to excel in school sports.   "We all share the same passion for sports and friendly inter-scholastic competition," said Bro. Magbanua. - AMD, GMA News