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‘Rise as One’: UAAP Season 85 is kicking off on October 1

Get ready to cheer on your favorite UAAP schools because Season 85 is starting real soon.

This season’s hosts, Adamson University, have just announced that the 85th season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines will be kicking off on October 1. The start of this season comes as the second season in 2022.

Rise as One

When the pandemic hit at the beginning of 2020, UAAP Season 83 was cut short. The second half’s sports, like football and baseball, were unable to continue with their tournaments. And for two years, the much-awaited UAAP competitions were put on hold.

Earlier this year, however, Season 84 was able to finally push through, but only with a smaller number of sports. DLSU, as the hosts, included the basketball, volleyball, cheerdance, and chess tournaments. Games were also played more often in comparison to previous seasons.

Without a doubt, the pandemic really posed a hindrance to sports, especially on the amateur level. Thus, Adamson is hoping to kick off Season 85 on a positive note. “After the last UAAP Season made us Fully Alive and created Champions for Life, UAAP Season 85 is hoping to call the entire community to Rise As One,” UAAP Season 85 president Fr. Aldrin Suan, CM of Adamson University explained.

“It’s been two years since the COVID-19 pandemic happened and has yet to end. Together, we are looking to rise as a nation, helping build a better future for a brighter tomorrow.”

For the athletes

This season, Adamson hopes to bring back some semblance of normalcy to the UAAP tournaments, especially after over two years of sacrifice.

“Our student-athletes have been waiting for their moment, some yet to return to the playing field since 2019,” Fr. Suan expressed.

In partnership with Cignal TV, the host University is hoping that they will be able to hold the full UAAP calendar that we used to expect annually prior to the pandemic. As restrictions have begun to loosen up in our country and our daily lives are moving in the direction of a ‘newer normal’, the UAAP is set to bring back the traditions of the tournament that we all know and love.

“As we get back to normalcy, we will be going back to the ‘original’ days of the UAAP pre-pandemic,” Fr. Suan explained. This entails the old format we were once used to—games held on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

“We are also not just looking to have accomplished a ‘good hosting year’ for Adamson University but begin traditions that will be passed on from host to host for seasons to come.”

The complete events calendar for the season will be revealed later this month.

With less than a month until the start of the season, a lot of expectations are already beginning to brew. Not only are the fans excited to see another season of the UAAP, but undoubtedly, so are the athletes—especially those who have been unable to play over the last couple of years.

We are definitely excited to see how UAAP Season 85 will be a step back to normal for our student-athletes.