THE University of Santo Tomas (UST) has demonstrated dominance in all sports over the last eight years, leading up to their eighth consecutive General Championship following the UAAP Season 87.
Yesterday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, the country’s premier collegiate league officially brought the curtain down on its 87th season, with the España-based university once again emerging as the overall league champions.
There’s no better way to wrap up a dominating season, as UST now shifts its focus to next year, taking on hosting duties for Season 88 under the banner “Strength in Motion, Hope in Action.”
A Golden Year
Now having a total of 72 overall titles from both the seniors and juniors combined, Fr. Rodel Cansancio, OP, Director of the UST Institute of Physical Education and Athletics, admitted that the feeling never gets old.
“Masaya ang UST, ang buong community ng UST. It only shows the continued dominance ng sports program namin sa UAAP,” he said, after securing their eight collegiate and ninth high school general championship.
“It will continue to serve as a challenge for all of us to do better next season at alam ko namang ganoon din ang ibang UAAP schools,” he went on to say of UST, who garnered 346 points in college and 313 points in high school.
Pure Dominance
This season, the school won eight collegiate championships, including men’s beach volleyball, chess, women’s tennis, table tennis, poomsae, men’s judo, and women’s fencing.
These victories resulted in their record-breaking 48th general title. Overall, the Growling Tigers won 24 out of 31 collegiate events, totaling eight golds, seven silvers, and nine bronzes.
Aside from the senior ranks, the Tiger Cubs dominated the high school division, winning 11 championships. It features boys’ and girls’ 5-on-5 basketball and girls’ 3×3 basketball.
Along with boys’ volleyball, boys’ beach volleyball, boys’ and girls’ table tennis, boys’ and girls’ swimming, boys’ football, and boys’ athletics, they won their 24th overall juniors division title.
The Tiger Cubs won medals in 23 of 24 events, which includes 11 golds, 11 silvers, and one bronze, in a display of remarkable consistency and dominance over the years.
Onto The Next
UST is already preparing for a busy hosting schedule next season. Their first challenge will be determining the venues for next season, as a major international tournament is expected to disrupt their first semester schedules.
Due to the scheduling overlap with the FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship 2025, UST is looking into alternative venues for the season’s first games, which are tentatively scheduled for the third week of September.
The traditional UAAP venues, Smart Araneta Coliseum and SM Mall of Asia Arena, will be closed during that time because they are hosting international volleyball matches.
“Tinitingnan namin yung first week of the season kasi we are planning to hold the opening on a weekday,” Season 88 president Fr. Cansancio said.
“So yung first week of the basketball tournament, since hindi available yung Araneta at MOA, we are looking at either UST and Ateneo for the games during that time,” he added.
Season 88’s opening ceremony will take place at UST’s España campus, while basketball games may shift to Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena and the newly renovated Blue Eagle Gym.
