A record 44 teams, including an entry from New Zealand, will duke it out in the fourth edition of the Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League (SGVIL) Rising Stars Cup, unfurling on 20 April at the La Salle Green Hills gymnasium in Mandaluyong City.

Surpassing last year’s 30-squad field, the highly anticipated high school girls’ volleyball tournament promises more exciting and thrilling competition featuring up-and-coming talents.

Repeat-seeking National University-Nazareth School banners a competitive 20-school Division 1 in the tournament supported by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner and R and B Milk Tea.

Domuschola International School, on the other hand, will have its hands full defending its Division 2 crown in a 24-entry field that includes guest team Diverse Auckland Cubs

“We’re continuing with having two divisions in the SGVIL. Since the establishment of the second division last year, more schools have approached us and expressed interest in joining the league. In fact, the teams have grown in number, record numbers. There are now 20 in Division 1 and 24 in Division 2, with a team from New Zealand joining as well,” said Dr. Ian Laurel, president of the league organizer Athletic Events and Sports Management Inc. (ACES) during the tournament presser on Wednesday at the Shakey’s Paseo de Magallanes.

“So, the interest at the high school level in joining the Shakey’s GVIL has exponentially grown, and it is an honor for us, a pleasure for us to be able to host them again this year.”

Teams in Division 1 are divided into four pools with five squads each while in Division 2, six squads are bunched in four pools.

The Lady Bullpups, who beat Bacolod Tay Tung in a cardiac five-set finale last year, lead Pool A alongside King’s Montessori, inaugural champion California Academy, Lyceum of the Philippines Academy and Bethel Academy.

Three-time runner-up Bacolod Tay Tung is in Pool B with Canossa Academy, Holy Rosary College, University of Perpetual Help System-Dalta and Immaculate Conception College.

De La Salle-Lipa, Far Eastern University-Diliman, University of the Philippines Integrated School, San Felipe Neri Catholic School and St. John’s Institute composed Pool C while in Pool D are 2024 champion Adamson University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Chiang Kai Shek College, University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle Santiago-Zobel. M. ESCARLOTE

Domuschola International School, which overpowered Everest International Academy in straight sets in the finals last year, opted to stay in Division 2 for a back-to-back bid in the grassroots volleyball league backed by Smart Sports, PusoP.com, Solar Sports Free TV, Mikasa, Asics, Team Rebel Sports and Rigour Technology as technical partners.

Joining the Pasig-based squad in Pool E are Miriam College, Corpus Christi School, The Beacon Academy, MGC-New Life Christian Academy and San Beda University.

In Pool F are Everest International Academy, La Salle Green Hills, Diverse Auckland Cubs, Saint Pedro Poveda College, St. Theresa’s College-Quezon City, UST-B; together in Pool G are Immaculate Conception Academy-Greenhills, Assumption-Antipolo, NU-Nazareth School Team B, St. Jude Parish School, CCF-The Life Academy and PACE Academy while Pool H is composed of St. Paul College-Pasig, La Salle Zobel-B, St. John Institute Team B, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo De Cebu, Bacolod Tay Tung Team B and University of Batangas High School.

Preliminary round matches in both divisions will be played in best-of-three sets. All frames, including the deciding set, will be played up to 25 points.

The top two teams in each pool will advance to the knockout quarterfinal. Both semifinal and final matches are one-game affairs and will be played in best-of-five sets.

As an added incentive, the champions and runners-up from both divisions will be invited to join the SGVIL Invitationals alongside a couple of US high school teams and a Japanese squad in July.

“When it comes to what’s in store for the winners, we are planning a special edition of the SGVIL Invitationals this coming July. We will invite the top two teams in both divisions to play against their U.S. counterparts, who will be arriving this July,” Laurel said.