Tough grind ahead

National University faces tough opposition in its title-retention bid against a strong field eager for a taste of glory in the 2025 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Preseason Unity Cup starting 20 September at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Sixteen teams, six from the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and all 10 from the National Collegiate Athletic Association, will duke it out for the crown in the fourth staging of the league’s centerpiece tournament.

Last edition’s runner-up De La Salle University and University of the East, are taking a leave of absence as both squads are still in the process of rebuilding their core following some key departures.

Still, intense action in the competition backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R and B Milk Tea, remains the same.

“Even though we only have 16 teams, we still have a good lineup of up-and-coming teams with new players on their rosters. We want to showcase, for the very first time, how these players play with each other and against their respective opponents in their respective leagues,” said Dr. Ian Laurel, president and chairman of SSL organizer Athletic Events and Sports Management Inc. (ACES), during the competition’s press launch on Wednesday at the Shakey’s Buendia branch.

Also present during the press launch were Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc. president and chief executive officer Vic Gregorio, SPAVI general manager Oliver Sicam, SPAVI Marketing head Regina Asa, PLDT and Smart Communications Head of Sports Jude Turcuato, ACES director Ariel Paredes, as well as coaches and key players of participating teams.

The 16 squads are divided into four groups to play in a single-round robin format in the preliminary round.

The four-peat-seeking Lady Bulldogs are bunched with Emilio Aguinaldo College, San Beda University and Lyceum of the Philippines University in Pool A.

Pool B is composed of Far Eastern University, Arellano University, Adamson University and Jose Rizal University. In Pool C are University of Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines, Mapua University and Letran, while College of Saint Benilde, Ateneo de Manila University, San Sebastian College and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta are in Pool D.

The top two teams of each pool will advance to the next round, where they will be divided into two groups for another round-robin play to determine their rankings in the quarterfinals.

The top two-ranked squads after the round will be armed with a twice-to-beat advantage in the crossover quarterfinals of the tilt supported by Asics, Mikasa, Smart Sports, F2 Logistics, Team Rebel Sports, Belo Deo, SM Tickets and PusoP.com as technical partners.

The semifinals and battle for bronze are knockout affairs, while the championship round is a best-of-three series.

All players listed in a team’s roster will be fielded under the tournament’s unique all-to-play format.

“The all-to-play rule will be in effect because that’s the trademark of our preseason,” Laurel added.

“This is what the coaches are also looking for; they want to see the combinations that they will use when they compete in their respective mother leagues. And we’re excited to have this competition again.”

The Preseason Unity Cup is the culmination of another successful SSL season.

SSL started the year with the record-setting staging of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League, which saw the participation of 30 high school squads.

The league then brought elite collegiate volleyball action closer to fans with the three-leg National Invitationals held in Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon.