UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas reigned supreme in UAAP Season 85 with general championships in the high school and collegiate divisions.
The Tigers' season-long dominance was recognized in the league's closing ceremonies at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday.
UST makde it six straight wins for iits 46th overall collegiate crown with 336 points, ahead of La Salle (279 points) and University of the Philippines (260 points).
Among key triumphs for the Season 85 champs were in women's 3x3 basketball, men's and women's beach volleyball, men's table tennis, women's taekwondo, men's judo, men's tennis, women's athletics, and men's chess.
UST topped the high school ranks with 217 points for its seventh straight and 22nd overall title.
The Tiger Cubs ruled a handful of events this year, including girls' table tennis, boys' taekwondo, girls' beach volleyball, boys' and girls' swimming, boys' and girls' judo, and girls' athletics.
"At UST, we are thrilled once again to have won the general championships in both the college and high school divisions. We take great pride in our tradition of producing excellent and world-class student-athletes," said UST representative to the Board of Managing Directors Gigi Kamus.
Athletes of the year
Xiandi Chua, winenr of six swimming gold medals for La Salle, and softball MVP Nickole Dela Cruz of University of the Philippines were feted as the Collegiate Athletes of the Year.
Chua also led 73 UAAP student-athletes who were honored for representing the Philippines in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
Athletics gold medalist Kent Jardin (Adamson) and 3x3 basketball MVP and 5x5 champion Johnrey Pasaol (FEU) were named Athleyes of the Year in the high school division.
Each school also hailed its latest batch of top athlete-scholars in the ceremony, with the collegiate awardees including Adamson's Trisha Tubu (women's volleyball), Ateneo's Marjorie Manguiat (women's swimming), La Salle's Chua (women's swimming), FEU's Gio Pabualan (men's football), NU's Jessica Carcueva (women's lawn tennis), UE's Jewel Rafael (women's judo), UP's John Viron Ferrer (men's judo), and UST's Djulia Brion (women's swimming).
The high school recipients, on the other hand, were Adamson's Johnray Abayon (boys' basketball), Ateneo's Ivo Enot (boys' swimming), DLSZ's Juliana Yamson (girls' table tennis), FEU-D's Mhage Sebastian (girls' chess), NUNS' Alphecca Gonzales (girls' chess), and UE's Alexza Gatdula (girls' judo).
And after a golden double by UST in both high school and collegiate streetdance competitions, Season 85 host Adamson handed over the reins to incoming host UE.
'Fueling the Future' will be the official theme of Season 86.
"It will be a challenging task as we have 85 years of UAAP tradition to uphold. However, with the highly experienced sports director, Rod Roque, by my side, I am confident that we can accomplish it. We believe that with the support of everyone, we will successfully host Season 86 of the UAAP," said UE president and Season 86 chairman Dr. Zosimo Battad.
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