Seventh heaven for Arellano in NCAA Cheerleading

c/o NCAA

Arellano extended its reign in NCAA cheerleading to a seventh straight season on Thursday, with their triumph in the NCAA Season 101 Cheerleading Competition at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

The Chiefsquad topped the tournament, which is presented by the Philippine Sports Commission, with their aggregate score of 231 points. 

Head coach Lucky San Juan shared after their victory, "Nagpapasalamat ako sa mga bata ko, kung ‘di dahil sa kanila, ‘di magiging successful ‘tong seventh straight."

He adds, "Ito ‘yong challenge, kahit sabihin nating nanalo [ngayon], mahirap pa din para sa next year."

San Juan notes that the team remained unfazed with the additional pressure to defending their title, "Ang laki ng tiwala ko sa kanila. Sobra nilang inaral at nireview ‘yang mga ‘yan," he says.

The Chiefsquad will take home PhP 100k with this triumph, as they extend their reign since the NCAA's 92nd season back in 2017.

Completing the podium spots are the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta and Colegio de San Juan de Letran, in a repeat from last season.

The Perpsquad tallied 221 points to earn second place and nets PhP 75k, while the Letran Cheering Squad nipped Emilio Aguinaldo College for third with their total of 199.5 points and the PhP 50k cash prize.

NCAA Season 101 Cheerleading Competition set for Thursday

NCAA Cheerleading

The cheering squads of the NCAA are set to take over the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Thursday, with the league hosting its Cheerleading Competition at 230pm.

GMA Network is set to showcase these outstanding athletes  LIVE on GTV.

Feel the excitement and chill as the NCAA’s premier cheerleading squads showcase their gravity-defying stunts, thrilling routines, and electrifying performances. Competing this season are the Benilde Blazers Pep Squad of De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde; the Altas Perpsquad of University of Perpetual Help System-Dalta; the Mapua Cheerping Cardinals of Mapúa University; the Letran Cheering Squad of Colegio de San Juan de Letran; the LPU Pirates Pep Squad of Lyceum of the Philippines University; the Golden Stags Cheerleading Squad of San Sebastian College-Recoletos; the JRU Pep Squad of José Rizal University; the AU Chiefsquad of Arellano University; the EAC Generals Pep Squad of Emilio Aguinaldo College; and the San Beda Red Army of San Beda University.

Arellano is seeking to extend their stranglehold in this competition for a seventh straight season, while Perpetual and Letran, who finished on the podium last year as second and third placers, respectively, will once again make an attempt to dethrone the defending champions.

PhP 100k beckons for the champion, while the remain podium finishers will receive PhP 75k and PhP 50k, respectively.

Martin Javier and Lexi Gonzales will host the event, with Glycel Galpo providing the backstage reporting.

Providing additional entertainment is Arabelle dela Cruz, The Clash alumna and Veiled Cup 2026 Grand Champion.

Catch the livestream on the NCAA Philippines website (www.gmanetwork.com/ncaa), NCAA Philippines Facebook page and YouTube channel, and GMA Sports' social media accounts. Global Pinoys can catch all the action via the international channel GMA News TV.

Tickets for the competition can now be purchased via SM Tickets.

For more updates on NCAA, visit its official website www.ncaa.com.ph. Follow @ncaaphilippines, @gmasynergy, and @gmasportsph on social media.

NCAA Season 98 set for Cheerleading Competition

Cheering Competition

Capping off the 98th season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association is the Cheerleading Competition, with the festivities taking place at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, April 30.

Coverage will start at 2pm through GTV, with online streaming possible via the social media platforms of NCAA Philippines and GMA Sports. Overseas viewers can check it out through GMA News TV.

Fans can purchase tickets at the gate.

Hosted by the trio of Martin Javier, Rhian Ramos, and Mau Schrijvers, the order of performances has already been pre-selected, with the following squads in sequence:

• San Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags Cheerleading Squad
• Mapua Cheerping Cardinals
• University of Perpetual Help System-Dalta Altas Perpsquad
• Lyceum Pirates Pep Squad
• Letran Cheering Squad
• Arellano Chiefsquad
• JRU Pep Squad
• Benilde Blazers Pep Squad
• EAC Generals Pep Squad
• San Beda Red Corps

Arellano won the competition the last time it took place back in NCAA Season 95, winning their third straight crown in the process. Perpetual and Mapua took up the remaining podium spots and are looking to potentially serve as the biggest obstacles to their fourth straight crown and the corresponding PhP 100,000 prize.

Second place nets PhP 75,000 and third secures PhP 50,000.

GMA First Vice President and Head of Regional TV and Synergy, and Acting Head of GMA Integrated News Oliver B. Amoroso shares, "GMA Network, through GMA Synergy, is proud to broadcast the NCAA Season 98 Cheerleading Competition this April 30. Like the rest of the NCAA community, we look forward to seeing our favorite collegiate cheering squads back as they go all out with their performances. To all the competing teams, your Kapuso Network wishes you all the best. May you reap the harvest of your hard work and persistence, and may you represent your school well as you showcase your talents and skills in the competition."

Aside from the Cheerleading Competition, the league will also be bestowing the awards to the champion teams and winners from the entire season.

Turnover of hosting rights is also slated to happen, with Season 98 hosts Emilio Aguinaldo College set to hand it to Season 99 counterparts Jose Rizal University.

Entertaining the crowd at the venue are performances from PPOP Generation, VXON, 1st.One, and XOXO.

National Cheerleading Championships set for Fearless 14th season with ESPN5

What to expect at the NCC

We are Fearless.

That is the theme of the National Cheerleading Championships as it commences with its 14th season of showcasing the best in cheer, dance, and in snapping the beats on the drums. It is a trait that epitomizes each and every cheerleader as they attempt to take risks and exceed limits. At the same time, it also reflects on the NCC with its bold steps in recognizing the strength and resiliency of Filipino cheerleading.

Reflecting on this, NCC founder Carlos Valdes says, "In a real sense, the NCC is just like the sport of cheerleading. It requires courage over anxiety, resolve over doubt, discipline over comfort. You really have to be fearless."

For this season, over 300 teams are expected to take part in the NCC, which will commence with the first of six regional qualifiers with the South Luzon leg this weekend at Robinsons Las Pinas.

Set to follow in South Luzon's footsteps later this year are Central Luzon on October 13-14, Cebu and Legaspi in November, and Davao in December. The final set of qualifiers will take place in late January with the NCR.

Outstanding squads will have the chance to be the best among the best in the country with the Nationals this coming March at the Mall of Asia Arena, and could even have a chance to go up against international competition with the ICU Philippine Open that same month.

In addition, the NCC sees this as the opportunity to find those who can comprise Team Pilipinas, who would then represent the country in the different ICU-linked competitions in the region, as well as in the World Championships held next year in Orlando, Florida. Last year's edition saw athletes from Assumption College in the Cheer Hip-Hop division and Poveda Juniors in the Juniors Championships, with the All-Girl and Co-Ed Elite teams were comprised of student-athletes from NU, Ateneo, UST, La Salle, and FEU, among others.

Reflecting their own kind of fearless, ESPN 5 forged a partnership with the NCC that would allow the former to cover the latter, starting from the qualifiers onto the Nationals. Expect multi-platform coverage to showcase the best and the brightest, including LIVE free tv coverage of the Nationals. Highlights will be part of the package on SportsCenter Philippines.

On their partnership, TV5 President Chot Reyes shares, "Our network remains steadfast in its role of supporting every Filipino athlete as they represent our country on the world stage; in line with this is our active pursuit to expand awareness for our breadth of local talent, and the different sports in which they excel. It was only natural for us to continue our partnership with the NCC as they pursue their vision of advancing cheerleading as a sport in the country."

Valdes adds, "ESPN5 has stayed true to its mission of bringing great sports content to Filipinos. With their world-class content delivery platforms, we are elated to have them on board for the whole season of the NCC, and together with the journey of Team Pilipinas."

For more details on the National Cheerleading Championships, one can check out www.nccphilippines.com.ph.

Arellano defends NCAA Cheerleading title

Arellano University pulled off a near-flawless performance in successfully defending its NCAA Cheerleading title this afternoon at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Represented by the AU Chiefsquad, they fended off the Perpsquad of University of Perpetual Help-System Dalta with an aggregate score of 234.5 compared to 226.

The Chiefsquad utilized a clean and beautiful dance routine peppered with difficult pyramids and stunts that gained the attention of the judges.

The Perpsquad likewise impressed the crowd, but they missed on a pyramid attempt that gave Arellano their third cheerleading title overall.

According to Arellano head coach Lucky San Juan, "This is the product of the team’s hardwork and we dedicate the victory to the whole Arellano U community and our school officials who have supported us through thick and thin.

As for Perpetual, head coach Ruf Rosario was proud of what the team accomplished, even though they fell short in their quest for a tenth title. Rosario shares, "That’s life, you win some, you lose some. I’m still proud of the whole team and we will come back strong next season."

Completing the podium finishers is the San Beda Red Corps, with their total of 193.5 points. It was an improvement over their previous best-ever finish of fourth place last season.

The success of the Red Corps capped off an impressive afternoon for the Red Lions, as they were officially bestown the overall championship in both the Seniors and Juniors division, with the NCAA Management Committee and the NCAA Policy Board presenting the trophy to the different champions of each sporting discipline.

In addition, the league conducted its closing ceremonies, with current hosts San Sebastian awarding next season's hosting duties to Perpetual Help.

UAAP Season 80 Cheerdance set

The highly anticipated UAAP Season 80 edition of the Cheerdance Competition is set to take place this afternoon, 2pm, LIVE on S+A and S+A HD, as well as through streaming on sports.abs-cbn.com.

Arguably considered as the biggest one-day event in the UAAP calendar, the spotlight is shown on the different pep squads of all eight schools have the opportunity to strut their stuff at the Mall of Asia Arena. Last year, over seventeen thousand packed the same venue supporting their respective schools.

Shepherding the festivities are the trio of Nikko Ramos, Gretchen Ho, and Angelique Manto, alongside the courtside reporters of each of the schools.

National University is seeking to claim its fifth straight CDC title, while posing as their biggest threats for their title defense are traditional contenders the Salinggawi Dance Troupe of UST, the FEU Cheering Squad, and the comebacking UP Pep Squad.

Meanwhile, the Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion, the Adamson Pep Squad, the La Salle Animo Squad, and the UE Pep Squad are seeking their first title in this competition.

Aside from the main competition, and the UAAP Group Stunts competition, there are also special awards: the Yamaha Toss Winner for the Best Toss, the Jollibee Inextrahan Pyramid for the Best Pyramid.

The champion will be rewarded PhP 340,000 and medals from the UAAP, as well as PhP 30,000 from Yamaha, and PhP 25,000 from Jollibee. The first-runner-up will be rewarded PhP 200,000 and medals from the UAAP, as well as PhP 25,000 from Yamaha. The second-runner-up receives PhP 140,000 and medals from the UAAP, as well as PhP 20,000.

UAAP Cheerdance Competition today

National University is dead set on setting its "L3gacy" today at the Mall of Asia Arena, as its Pep Squad is set to defend its crown in the UAAP Season 78 Cheerdance Competition.

After a sixth-place finish in 2011, they have made the podium in the last three seasons, winning the last two. They are now at the cusp of replicating the feats of the Salinggawi Dance Troupe and the University of the Philippines Pep Squad if they accomplish the three-peat.

Those two squads, who completed the podium last season, lead the pack of those attempting to deny NU that historical feat.

Meanwhile, the FEU Cheering Squad seeks to defend its title in the group stunts category, with NU seeking to reclaim that crown after losing it last year.

The Cheerdance Competition comes a day before rivals Ateneo and La Salle are set to face off at the same venue.

Order of performances:

UP
La Salle
Ateneo
NU
UE
Adamson
FEU
UST

Filipinos excel in the "Olympics of Cheerleading"

The NU Pep Squad snagging bronze at the ICU Cheerleading World Championships

After making a splash in the local cheerdance scene by snagging the last two UAAP CDC titles, the National University Pep Squad impressed at the International Cheer Union (ICU) World Cheerleading Championships, held last April 23-24 at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Considered as the premier cheerleading competition in the world, 70 countries, including the Philippines, sent delegates to participate in eight different divisions. Gabriel Bajacan (NU Pep coach), in fact, believes that the ICU WCC is "its version of the Olympics for cheerleading".

Armed with just over two months of preparation, NU Pep managed to finish in third place at the Coed Elite Division, with their "bone-bending gymnastics" and a routine laced with a high degree of difficulty, that impressed their peers, including US coach Joe Jackson (best known as the stunt choreographer for "Bring It On").

Only Mexico and Chile had a better performance than the Pinoys, something that NCC National Director and Philippine Cheerleading Association Vice President Paula Nunag views as a victory for Asia. She adds that participating in the ICU CWC is "the dream of every single Filipino cheerleader."

NU Pep Team Manager Jun Gaw is thankful for the experience, knowing that they "gave it their all and did their best." He adds...

They showed that the Philippines is a competitor to keep an eye on in the world of cheerleading. They were against powerhouse teams some of whom were veteran world champions. These teams were composed of handpicked cheerleaders selected to represent their respective national all-star teams. On the other hand, the Team Pilipinas National University Pep Squad, a university-based team, consists of athletes who are newcomers to the sport and who have had to build their skills from scratch. They are the underdogs here, and have taken the cheerleading world by surprise.

NU academic coordinator for athletes, Ms. Clara Manzano-Lacson, also expressed her pride with the squad...

"It is our aim in NU to balance the academic and athletic talents and skills of our students, and the NU Pep Squad has always been good at doing this. They manage their schooling and practices well. The NU cheerleaders are world champion medalists and we could not be more proud of them. We know that through our customized program, which looks out for the welfare of our athletes, NU’s Teams will continue to succeed both locally and abroad."

The efforts of the NU Pep Squad at ICU CWC is the latest success story of the SM Group's academic-athletics program in national and international competitions. Concurrent NU Chairman and SM Prime Holdings, Inc. President Hans Sy has personally provided words of encouragement towards the student-athletes, as well as the coaches and managers, in ensuring an environment that can hone their skills, talents, and capacities.


Also snagging awards in the ICU CWC are Miriam High School's Team Sayawatha with their bronze  in the Team Cheer Hip Hop Division, while an all-star group of Pinay cheerleaders joined forces in the All-Girl Elite Division to finish second to New Zealand.