After a close race for the General Championship did not go their way a season ago, the University of Santo Tomas have bounced back in a big way, finishing on top of the UAAP Season 79 Overall Championship ladder with 310 points.
This is UST’s 41st general championship, and their 16th crown in the last two decades.
UST’s season was highlighted by winning seven championships, beginning with the Men’s and Women’s Beach Volleyball tournaments to open the season before they next bagged both Men’s and Women’s Judo championships. The Tiger Paddlers and the Tiger Jins then padded their lead by winning gold in the Men’s Table Tennis and Men’s Taekwondo tournaments respectively. The España-based program then capped their glorious season by winning their second straight Women’s Track and Field crown.
Silver finishes also ran rampant, with UST taking second place in the Women’s Taekwondo, Poomsae, Men’s and Women’s Tennis, Men’s Fencing, Baseball, Softball, and Women’s Football.
Finishing second for this season is the De La Salle University with 271 points. The Green Archers bagged gold in Men’s Basketball, Poomsae, Women’s Table Tennis, Women’s Volleyball, and Women’s Football.
The Ateneo de Manila University was in third place once more, tallying 233 points. The Blue Eagles were on top of the podium for the Men’s Swimming, Men’s Volleyball, Baseball, and Men’s Football tournaments.
Katipunan neighbors University of the Philippines finished fourth with 214 points, winning gold in the Women’s Badminton and Women’s Swimming events.
Despite competing in just 21 of the 29 events this season, the National University still managed to finish in fifth place with 185 points. The Bulldogs continued their reign in Women’s Basketball, Men’s Badminton, Women’s Tennis, and Men’s Chess, while winning their breakthrough gold in the Women’s Taekwondo championship.
The Far Eastern University finished the season with 168 points while competing in just 19 events. The school continued to lord over the Women’s Chess and Men’s Athletics championships.
University of the East tallied 155 points, retaining their crowns as kings and queens of Fencing while winning their first Men’s Tennis crown. Adamson University finished in last place with 90 points; their sole championship came in Softball.
