To celebrate the 80th season of the UAAP, each member school honored 10 of its greatest student-athletes who have paved the way for the current batch of athletes, Saturday afternoon at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
“We just hope that in this little way, we could inspire a lot of players that they can get to many through sports,” said Congresswoman Pia Cayetano, who had been part of the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons who won UAAP gold back in 1983.
Through the 80 years of the premier collegiate league in the country, the league has helped groom future Olympians, Southeast Asian Games gold medalists, and professional athletes.
Olympians Yan Lariba of La Salle’s Table Tennis Team and Jessie Khing Lacuna of Ateneo Swimming headlined the cast with Lariba being represented by her mother Imelda.
Other athletes present were Ana Santiago, Queeny Sabobo, and Ewon Arayi for Adamson; Alyssa Valdez, Rely San Agustin, Enrico Villanueva, and Marck Espejo for Ateneo; Marielle Benitez and Renren Ritualo for La Salle; Turo Valenzona, Mac Belo, RR Garcia, Vic Pablo, Terrence Romeo, Allana Lim, Janelle Frayna, Maristella Torres, George Pascua, and Rachel Daquis for FEU; Rolando Canlas and Tisha Abundo for UE; Aric del Rosario, Dylan Ababou, Mark Alfafara, Cyrus Baguio, and Dindo Simpao for UST; Danny Ildefonso, Ray Parks Jr., Afril Bernardino, Tin Patrimonio, Troy Rosario, Nestor Sapida, and Lander Lazaro for NU; and Ronnie Magsanoc, Rannie Ortega, Benjie Paras, Mariano Araneta, Rio dela Cruz, and Joe Lipa for UP.
And with that, the 80th season of the UAAP tipped off.
