Defending champion Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas (LPU-B) and perennial contender Centro Escolar University (CEU) loom as the early teams to watch when the Universities and Colleges Athletic League (UCAL) opens its ninth season with its streetdance competition on Saturday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

The ninth-season opening ceremony is set to begin at 2 p.m., with OPM rock band Lola Amour and artist Matthaios adding a concert-like atmosphere to the festivities as the league kicks off another year of competition.

But the spotlight will ultimately fall on the athletes and performers from the league’s nine member schools, led by host Manila Central University (MCU), along with CEU, LPU-B, Diliman College, Immaculada Concepcion College (ICC), Olivarez College, Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas, Philippine Women’s University and University of Batangas.

Tournament director Horacio Lim and league officials Col. Bong Nebrija, Bernard Yang and Carmelo Navarro are expected to lead the opening ceremonies together with MCU strategic adviser for sports Javier Lopez-Sanz Chulvi and representatives from the participating schools.

“We are excited and we hope it’s gonna be one to remember and we believe it’s gonna be a good start for the season that is to come,” Lopez-Sanz Chulvi said.

LPU-B enters the streetdance competition with the confidence of a defending champion after edging CEU by just three points for last season’s crown.

The Batangas-based school will be looking to put together another high-energy routine capable of impressing both the judges and the crowd as it seeks to make it two straight titles.