University of Santo Tomas will put a fittingly glamorous cap on UAAP Season 88 as the league stages its closing rites today at the Quadricentennial Pavilion — 238 days after opening the season with a grand ceremony held on the same university grounds.
What began with a vibrant launch inside the campus will now end in a different tone, as the league shifts into a first-of-its-kind black-tie closing ceremony. The organizers have describe this as having an “Oscars-type feel,” elevating the traditional end-of-season program into a full celebration of excellence in sport and academics.
Set at 6:00 PM, the formal affair will be highlighted by the announcement of the UAAP Athlete of the Year across collegiate and high school divisions for both individual and team sports, selected from among the Season 88 Most Valuable Players in the league’s 66 regular events.
The evening will also honor athlete-scholars who balanced elite competition with academic excellence, as well as student-athletes who represented the UAAP in international tournaments during the 2025–26 academic year.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The night will also serve as a symbolic turnover of hosting duties from UST to Far Eastern University.
UST Rector Rev. Fr. Richard Ang, O.P., will formally hand over the league reins to FEU President Juan Miguel Montinola, who is expected to deliver the acceptance message before the program transitions into the next chapter of UAAP stewardship.
For the host school, the ceremony doubles as a celebration of dominance and legacy.
UST will be honored for its record-extending 49th collegiate general championship and 25th high school overall crown, sealing a ninth consecutive season of dual-discipline supremacy across both divisions.
“We wanted Season 88 to end the same way it started — with meaning, elegance, and celebration,” UAAP Season 88 President Fr. Rodel Casancio, OP said.
“This closing ceremony is not just about awarding winners, but about honoring the journey of every student-athlete who made this season unforgettable. It is a night for excellence to be seen, recognized, and remembered.”
