IT WILL be a season of changes in the 79th University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
Incoming league president Fr. Ermito de Sagon of the University of Santo Tomas said this following Saturday evening’s turnover ceremony with University of the Philippines officials, led by Michael Tan.
The league is set to make more changes in its rules,as it adjusts to the new policies being implemented because of the-12 program.
“The board will take this up following a 3-day planning session and workshop on Monday,” said De Sagon at the end of the two-hour rites at the Bahay ng Alumni Hall inside the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City.
Among the first to be changed is eligibility of players, in which players in high school can see action in the junior division from age 13 to 18.
In college, student-athletes can play from age 19 up to 25.
Discussions will also tackle the residency of foreign players, which will now be set at one year.
Foreign players included the roster will now be limited to one, instead two.
Tan, on the other hand, noted that fans are no longer just watching the basketball games.
He said interest in football and volleyball are also growing.
The league took note of this following an increase in television ratings of audiences, which are now bigger in volleyball.
Meanwhile, graduating Ateneo volleyball star Alyssa Valdez was named one of four winners of the Athlete of the Year award for UAAP Season 78.
She took her fourth Athlete of the Year plum and shared it with softball player Queeny Sabobo of multi-titled Adamson.
Rio De Janeiro Olympian table tennis player Ian Lariba of De La Salle and Ateneo swimmer Jessie Khing Lacuna also got the honors in the individual sports category for their achievements in the just-concluded season.
This is the first time the UAAP named four winners for the Athlete of the Year plum.
Trackster John Loyd Osorio of University of the East won the Athlete of the Year in the juniors’ division.
