The NCAA Season 101 Women’s Volleyball Tournament is set to unfurl on Friday, January 23, at the San Andres Gym in Manila, opening a brand-new century of collegiate volleyball action.
With storylines waiting to unfold and rivalries ready to be renewed, here are three reasons why fans should be hyped about this upcoming season.
1. A Brand-New Tournament Format
For the first time in 25 years, a brand-new tournament format will be introduced in women’s volleyball. The familiar Final Four setup has been scrapped in favor of a play-in system, adding a fresh layer of drama to the race for the playoffs.
The 10 competing schools in NCAA Season 101 Women’s Volleyball will be divided into two groups, with teams facing group rivals twice and opponents from the other group once. This structure gives each squad a 13-game elimination round, where every match carries added weight.
At the conclusion of the eliminations, the fourth- and fifth-placed teams from each group will collide in a play-in, with the winners advancing to the playoffs alongside the top three teams.
In the playoffs, the top two teams in each group will enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage. The top-seeded team from Group A will face the fourth-seeded team from Group B, while the other matchup will pit the No. 2 seed against the No. 3 seed.
Here are the groupings:
GROUP A:
- Benilde Lady Blazers
- Mapua Lady Cardinals
- San Sebastian Lady Stags
- JRU Lady Bombers
- Perpetual Lady Altas
GROUP B:
- Letran Lady Knights
- Arellano Lady Chiefs
- Lyceum Lady Pirates
- San Beda Red Lionesses
- EAC Lady Generals
2. Five-Peat-Seeking Lady Blazers
One compelling storyline in this upcoming NCAA Season 101 Women’s Volleyball Tournament is the Benilde Lady Blazers aiming to win their fifth straight championship.
With reigning league MVP and Finals MVP Mycah Go now gone to graduation, the ladies in green and white will have to rely more on last season’s Best Middle Blocker, Zam Nolasco.
With a new chapter underway, head coach Jerry Yee will lean on the leadership and experience of other holdovers like Cristy Ondangan, Chenae Basarte, and Jessa Dorog to anchor the team’s title pursuit.
Even with a younger lineup and the introduction of a revamped tournament format, the Lady Blazers continue to loom as the standard of excellence—not just within their group, but across the entire field—as they seek to extend their reign atop collegiate volleyball.
3. New Tacticians and Players to Debut in NCAA Season 101 Women’s Volleyball
NCAA Season 101 Women’s Volleyball will see new head coaches taking the helm for the Letran Lady Knights and San Beda Lady Red Spikers.
The Lady Knights will be guided by alumna Mayette Carolino, who takes over after the Lady Knights’ back-to-back runner-up finishes in the past two seasons. San Beda, meanwhile, turns to Kungfu Reyes as it looks to rebound from a disappointing Season 100 campaign, where it finished with a 4–14 record.
Leading the cast of new players for NCAA Season 101 is two-time Palarong Pambansa gold medalist Camila Bartolome, who will be making her seniors debut with Benilde. Meanwhile, former Mapua standout Roxie Dela Cruz will finally suit up for Lyceum.
Needless to say, the NCAA Season 101 Women’s Volleyball Tournament promises a thrilling mix of surprises, lightning-fast spikes, and heart-stopping rallies. With history on the line and every match carrying weight, this season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting chapters in collegiate volleyball.
