De La Salle University officials, led by Bro. Bernie Oca FSC and select members of the school’s student-athletes pose with the Season 75 general championship trophy. (FCF / Martin San Diego)
Women’s teams propel 102-year old institution to first overall title since joining the league in 1986.
Bridesmaids no more.
Years after the fallout of an ineligibility scandal in 2006 that forced a massive rebuild in their athletic program, De La Salle University formally claimed the UAAP overall title on Saturday during the Season 75 closing ceremonies at the SM City North EDSA SkyDome.
Propelled by five championship teams in the women’s division, the Green Archers finally claimed their first overall crown since joining the league in 1986.
Compiling a cumulative 293 points, seven points shy from the “magic number” of 300, the Taft Avenue-based institution won by a narrow 16 points over former 14-time defending champion University of Santo Tomas who amassed 277 points overall. DLSU placed runner-up to UST in the last four UAAP seasons.
“Not surprised at all,” was the remark given by Bro. Bernie Oca FSC when asked about the impact of the women’s teams on the overall standings during the school’s press conference following the closing ceremonies.
The school underwent a five-year transformation, where the institution’s Office of Sports Development reached out to their alumni to form the “Godfather Program,” where they were asked to pledge their time, talent, or money to the numerous athletics programs that the school is sponsoring.
“Have we recovered (from the effects of the Season 69 suspension)? A resounding yes,” noted a beaming Bro. Oca.
Various La Salle teams placed no lower than fourth durIng the first half of the season, which included gold-medal finishes by the women’s teams in chess, table tennis, and taekwondo barely gave a 10 point lead over University of Santo Tomas at the semestral break.
But the green and white machine was fired up further in the second sem, heralded by top finishes in women’s lawn tennis and women’s volleyball and was solidified by UST’s less than stellar performances in men’s football, and the men’s and women’s volleyball tournaments.
As soon as the Lady Spikers advanced to the finals of the women’s volleyball competition, DLSU had amassed a lead that was too far for UST to catch up.
Edwin Reyes, who is one of the two UAAP board members for DLSU, stressed out that their focus now shifts to the improvement and added support for the two teams that have lagged behind in the standings, namely the baseball and softball teams.
Despite a looming change in the rules of eligibility, the institution remains unfazed in their quest to repeat as overall champions.
UAAP board member Henry Atayde simply remarked “Will this (new UAAP rule) affect our program? No. The system is still there.”
Prior to La Salle’s victory this season, Santo Tomas held the overall crown 24 times in the last 26 years. Only two other teams have held the title during De La Salle’s 27-year stay in the league, namely National University in Season 49 (1986-87), and University of the Philippines in Season 60 (1997-98).
