CARRYING SAN BEDA’s championship run in National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Season 101 basketball, the Grand Old League will once again roll out the same tournament bracket as the Red Spikers turn their focus to the upcoming volleyball competition set on January 23.
The NCAA confirmed that the Season 101 Volleyball Tournament will adopt the group-based format first implemented during the recently concluded men’s and juniors’ basketball tournaments—both highlighted by San Beda’s title-clinching campaign in men’s basketball.
The announcement was made by NCAA Volleyball Tournament Commissioner Mike Tavera during the official drawing of lots held on January 16 at Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL).
Under the revised system, the league’s 10 member schools will be divided into two groups. San Beda University is slotted in Group B alongside CSJL, Arellano University (AU), Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), and Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC).
Group A will be composed of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), Mapua University, San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSCR), Jose Rizal University (JRU), and University of Perpetual Help System–DALTA (UPDS-DALTA).
Mirroring the format that carried the Red Lions to basketball glory, teams will face their groupmates twice and opponents from the other group once before final standings are determined. The top three teams from each group will advance to the crossover quarterfinals, while the fourth and fifth-ranked teams will dispute the final quarterfinal berth through a play-in round.
The top two seeds in the quarterfinals will carry a twice-to-beat advantage, while both the semifinals and finals will be decided through a best-of-three series. The NCAA also confirmed that the video challenge system will be implemented starting in the elimination round.
With the basketball championship now secured, San Beda looks to carry its winning momentum into the volleyball tournament as the red and white aim to assert their presence once more under a familiar bracket that has already delivered success this season.