BY CHRISTINE MONCADA
INTENSE collegiate beach volleyball action returns next month
when the Mindanao eliminations of the Nestea Beach Volley tourney gets going on
March 4 at Tagum Beach Volley Drome in Davao City.
After the three-day Mindanao qualifying, action goes to the
Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park in Cavite on March 25-27 for the Luzon
qualifying, followed by the Visayas elims set April 8-10 at the University of
St. La Salle in Bacolod City.
The semifinals and championship will be held April 24-26 in
Boracay.
A total of 72 teams from 43 colleges and universities from
across the country will vie for prestige in the event. Games will be governed by
rules set by the Federation Internationale de Volleyball.
More than P500,000 in cash prizes are at stake, with the
champions taking home P150,000, the runners-up getting P75,000 and third placers
receiving P40,000.
The tournament is part of the Nestea Beach 2008’s support to
the Philippine Business for Social Progress coastal rehabilitation fund, lining
up clean-up activities on different beaches in the country.
This endeavor started last year at the Puerto Galera in
Mindoro Province and the program visits Samal Beach in Davao this year.
"We’re very thrilled to bring another series of beach
volleyball action this year which will feature more competitive matches," said
Tina Samaco, Nestle AVP and Nestea consumer marketing manager, during the
launching of the event yesterday.
Competing in the Luzon eliminations are UP, UST, Adamson,
Letran, St. Benilde, La Salle-Dasmarinas, FEU, Lyceum, PATTS, PCU, St. Francis,
St. Jude, St. Louis University, San Beda-Alabang, San Beda College, University
of Baguio, University of the Cordilleras, University of Luzon and Perpetual
Help.
Defending women’s champion University of Visayas leads the
competitors in Visayas along with Colegio Purisima Concepcion, Foundation
University, Iloilo Doctors College, Southwestern University, University of
Iloilo, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, St. La Salle-Bacolod, San
Agustin, University of San Carlos, University of San Jose-Recoletos and
University of Southern Philippines Foundation.
Reigning men’s titlist Mindanao State University-Tawi Tawi, Agusan Institute
of Technology, Ateneo de Davao, Capitol University, Holy Cross of Davao, Jose
Maria College, Mahardika Institute of Technology, Mindanao State University-Marawi,
Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College, University of Mindanao-Tagum,
Universidad de Zamboanga and Xavier University are the teams from Mindanao.
