Lyceum of the Philippines University–Batangas claimed the streetdance championship in a spectacular highlight of the PG Flex-UCAL Season 8 opening, held before a roaring crowd on Thursday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
The 25-member LPU Dance Machine, energized by the wild chants of “Viva! Larga! Pirata!,” delivered a dazzling display of footwork, style, and creativity.
And they dethroned host Centro Escolar University (CEU) in a tight, thrilling contest among nine participating schools.
LPU-B tallied 261 points, edging CEU by just three points — the same winning margin that CEU achieved when it captured the inaugural event last season. Philippine Christian University–Dasmariñas finished third, followed by University of Batangas and Immaculada Concepcion College.
It was also a memorable day for LPU-B in the pageant segment: James Martin Paco was named Mr. UCAL, while Zach Rhina Schell of PCU-Dasmariñas took the Miss UCAL crown.
(C) UCAL
Despite not winning, CEU received the loudest cheers for its effort in staging a simple yet significant opening ceremony, making this year’s event memorable and setting a high standard for future hosts.
Meanwhile, CEU President Danilo Concepcion encouraged student-athletes to compete with pride, courage, and integrity, regardless of the challenges they may face.
Tournament Director Horacio Lim and other league officials — including Col. Bong Nebrija, Bernard Yang, Carmelo Navarro, and representatives of participating schools — expressed their excitement for the next events.
Volleyball competitions will begin on Oct. 14 at the UB Gym in Batangas City, with the Brahmans aiming to reclaim the men’s title, while Immaculada Concepcion College goes for back-to-back championships on the women’s side.
The basketball tournament is set to kick off in February, the second part of the academic calendar, with the Olivarez Sea Lions aiming for back-to-back victories.
Other participating schools in the league — supported by Akari, Smart Sports, Spalding, Hapee Toothpaste, Mighty Bond, Quintana Sports, Vital Purified Drinking Water, Topflite, Crane and Maruyama, CafeFrance, and RC1 Lubricating Spray — include Diliman College, Manila Central University, and Philippine Women’s University.
