The renewal of the long-term partnership between the UAAP and broadcast partner Cignal TV has come alongside a major shift in collegiate sports broadcasting, as the final NCAA game aired on a GMA platform marked the end of a broadcast cycle for another major league.
On Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Colegio de San Juan de Letran completed a historic turnaround, dethroning College of Saint Benilde in Game 3 of the NCAA Season 101 Women’s Volleyball Finals to snap a 27-year championship drought and end the Lady Blazers’ four-year reign.
Letran clinched the deciding match in a tightly contested series that swung both ways. The Lady Knights opened the finals with a five-set victory, 17-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-14, 15-11, before Benilde forced a rubber match after a dominant straight-sets win, 25-18, 25-21, 27-25.
In the championship clincher, Letran leaned on a balanced attack led by Verenicce Colendra, who delivered 23 points, and Vanessa Sarie, who added 19. Gia Maquilang also provided a steady all-around performance, finishing with a triple-double of 17 points, 17 receptions, and 13 digs.
Finals Most Valuable Player Judiel Nitura stepped up when it mattered most, contributing eight points in Game 3 after key outings of 21 and nine points in the earlier matches.
For Benilde, Season MVP Zam Nolasco carried the scoring load with 27 points in the deciding game, while Clydel Catarig and Shekainah Lleses added 17 and 12 points, respectively, in a losing effort.
The championship concluded under the final stretch of the broadcast partnership between the NCAA and GMA Network, which began in 2020 and covered five seasons of seniors and juniors basketball, as well as volleyball competitions for both men’s and women’s divisions.
During its run, NCAA games were aired across GMA’s platforms including GTV and the Heart of Asia channel, alongside digital streaming through the network’s social media pages and YouTube channel.
However, sources noted that the partnership faced recurring challenges in securing consistent commercial support, with sponsorships largely concentrated during postseason play.
The lack of a streaming service further challenged efforts to recoup investments.
Reports also indicated that the NCAA had been informed as early as last December that GMA would no longer pursue renewal once the agreement expired.
The league has since begun exploring new broadcast partners for its upcoming seasons.
