On October 1, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) will begin its second consecutive campaign, hoping to return to a full schedule following a condensed one the previous year.

The second UAAP season in a year will be hosted by Adamson, and the season’s 85th episode will have the theme “Rise as One.”

The complete schedule of events has not yet been released, but expectations are high for the UAAP to stage a full comeback in Season 85 after just holding eight events in Season 84, with Cignal TV serving as the official broadcast partner.

“After the previous UAAP Season made us “Fully Alive and Developed Champions for Life,” UAAP Season 85 is expecting to call the entire community to Rise as One,” UAAP Season 85 president Fr. said Aldrin Suan.

“The COVID-19 pandemic started two years ago and hasn’t yet ended. Together, we seek to advance as a country, contributing to the creation of a better tomorrow.

After several activities were cancelled owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAAP will announce its events calendar later this month in an effort to return to its pre-pandemic years.

“Some of our student-athletes haven’t been back on the field since 2019; they’ve been waiting for their chance. The UAAP Season 85 president, Fr., remarked, “We are hoping and praying, along with Cignal, that we will be able to have the complete schedule again this season. Aldrin Suan, president of the guest institution Adamson University.

We’ll return to the UAAP’s “original” days, before the pandemic, when games were broadcast on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, as soon as things are back to normal. We also want to start traditions this year that will be passed down from host to host for future seasons, so that Adamson University has more than simply a “good hosting year” under our belts.

The league’s agreement with Cignal TV to broadcast its games will also be renewed.

In Season 84, National University created history by winning the women’s volleyball championship for the first time in 65 years, while University of the Philippines ended a 36-year championship drought by defeating Ateneo in an exciting men’s basketball final.

Following a two-year break, the premier league resumed play in March of last year with a shortened schedule that included only a few men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s 3×3 basketball, men’s and women’s chess, men’s beach volleyball, and the mid-season spectacular cheer dance competition.

To ensure ongoing professional growth for the UAAP pool of referees that is currently in the selection process, Bachmann, a former La Salle player who later became an affable executive, will continue to serve until Season 86.

From March to June, it was held, and the main events were men’s basketball and women’s volleyball, both of which saw University of the Philippines and National University set historical records.

In the women’s volleyball finals, NU blanked La Salle to complete a 16-0 sweep and win its first championship in 65 years, while UP broke its 36-year basketball title drought by defeating three-time champion Ateneo.

The full list of events is yet to be announced but hopes are high for the UAAP – with Cignal TV as official broadcast partner – to pull off a complete comeback for Season 85 after staging only eight events in Season 84.

“Our student-athletes have been waiting for their moment, some yet to return to the playing field since 2019. Together with Cignal, we are hoping and praying that we are allowed to have the full calendar back this season,” said UAAP Season 85 president Fr. Aldrin Suan, CM of host Adamson University.

Richard “Dickie” Bachmann, a former governor of the Alaska Aces and the current chairman of the PBA 3×3 league, has been named commissioner for the main basketball competition by the UAAP. 

Bachmann, a former La Salle player who later worked as a friendly executive, will continue in this position until Season 86 to ensure that the referee pool for the UAAP, which is now being chosen, continues to grow and develop.

Following a two-year break, the premier league returned in March with a shortened schedule that included only a few men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s 3×3 basketball, men’s and women’s chess, men’s beach volleyball, and the mid-season cheerdance competition. 

University of the Philippines and National University made history in the main events of men’s basketball and women’s volleyball, respectively, throughout its March to June duration. 

While NU blanked La Salle in the women’s volleyball finals to complete a 16-0 sweep and claim its first championship in 65 years, UP broke its 36-year basketball title drought by defeating three-time champion Ateneo in the finals.