In line with the NCAA's decision to introduce a new tournament format–  first implemented in its recently concluded basketball festivities– the Grand Old League has released the groupings for the upcoming volleyball games scheduled to kick off on January 23, 2026.

The development was confirmed by NCAA Season 101 Volleyball Tournament Commissioner Mike Tavera, who led the drawing of lots in the presence of coaches last Friday, January 16, at Colegio de San Juan de Letran. 

Just like the basketball festivities, the ten member schools are divided into two groups (Group A and B). 

Group A comprises De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), Mapua University (MU), San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R), Jose Rizal University (JRU), and University of Perpetual Help System-Dalta (UPHSD). 

Group is composed of Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL), Arellano University (AU), Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), San Beda University (SBU), and Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC). 

The new format, inaugurated during the men’s and juniors’ basketball tournaments, veers away from the long-standing tradition of a round robin template where each team plays one match against every other team– for a total of nine regular season games per team– before they are ranked to determine who ascends to the Final Four stage.

Instead, teams will now go up against their groupmates twice, and teams from the other group once– before final standings are determined. 

The top three teams in each group will be assured of a spot in the cross-over quarterfinals, while the fourth and fifth ranked teams are to contend for the last spot via the play-in round. 

The first and second seeds will hold a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarters, while both the semifinals and finals will feature a best-of-three slugfest.

Tavera also confirmed that the video challenge will be implemented in Season 101’s elimination round.