THE finest student-athletes in the land will be given their due recognitions in the third staging of the San Miguel Corp.-Collegiate Press Corps (SMC-CPC) Awards Night on June 30 at the Discovery Suites in Ortigas, Pasig.
Led by the staple Collegiate Basketball Player of the Year plum, a total of 27 awards will be handed out to the exceptional achievers of the just-concluded UAAP Season 87 and NCAA Season 100.
Football, for the first time ever, will be added to the honor roll with three Football Players of the Year awards from both the UAAP (Men’s and Women’s) and the NCAA as the group aims to expand recognition to every sport every year.
The CPC, united into one umbrella in 2022 from then separate UAAP and NCAA press groups for decades, first added volleyball awards last year for also the first time from the previous ceremonies featuring only basketball.
The CPC Players of the Year in both genders will spearhead the Men’s and Women’s Mythical Teams as Volleyball Players of the Year from both the UAAP and NCAA men’s divisions will be recognized for the second straight year in the annual event presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Pilipinas Live and GMA.
To cap it off are the champion tacticians in basketball and volleyball with the Coaches of the Year awards, also from both the UAAP and NCAA as the country’s top collegiate leagues.
The CPC, an esteemed group of journalists from both print and online media nationwide, will also recognize the NCAA’s contributions to the Philippine collegiate sports after reaching its historic 100th season.
“We owe it to the student-athletes to continue to glorify their unwavering efforts, with football players in the spotlight this time around. This is our own little way of immortalizing them for what they have done not just for their respective schools, but also for collegiate sports as a whole,” said CPC president John Bryan Ulanday of The Philippine Star.
Serving as guest of honor and speakers are UAAP executive director Atty. Rego Saguisag, sports director Bo Perasol of UAAP Season 87 host University of the Philippines and management committee board chairman Herc Callanta of NCAA Season 100 host Lyceum of the Philippines University. — John Bryan Ulanday
