| Universities and Colleges Athletic League | |
| Current Season: | UCAL Season 7 |
| Founded: | (as UCBL) (as UCAL) |
| Teams: | 10 |
| Country: | Philippines |
| Venue: | Metro Manila and Calabarzon |
| Tv: | Smart Sports |
The Universities and Colleges Athletic League (UCAL) is an athelic association of ten universities and colleges across Metro Manila and Calabarzon in the Philippines. The UCAL dates back to 2016 when the organization established the Universities and Colleges Basketball League (UCBL). In 2023, it added volleyball and esports to the mix, with the UCBL's member schools forming the basis of the UCAL.
PG Flex Linoleum serve as the association's title sponsors, hence it is also referred to as the Universities and Colleges Athletic League–PG Flex Linoleum.
See also: UCAL basketball championship.
The UCAL organization as a whole began in 2016 under president Franklin Evidente, when it founded the UCBL, a basketball league which initially featured seven member institutions in its inaugural season. Those members were Bulacan State University (BulSU), Centro Escolar University (CEU), Colegio de San Lorenzo (CDSL), Diliman College (DC), Olivarez College (OC), Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP), and University of Batangas (UB).[1] [2]
The league then expanded over its first few seasons with Lyceum of the Philippines University – Batangas (LPU–B) joining in 2017, Philippine Christian University – Dasmariñas (PCU–D) and St. Joseph College of Bulacan (SJC) in 2018, and the National College of Business and Arts (NCBA) in 2019. However, it also saw some institutions depart from the league as BulSU and CDSL departed in 2018 followed by SJC in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the league to temporarily go on hiatus before resuming with Season 5 in 2022. Guang Ming College (GMC) joined the league while NCBA and TIP didn't make a return in the resumption of play.
As Season 6 approached, Manila Central University (MCU) and Philippine Women's University (PWU) joined as new league members, but the league itself would later undergo an evolution. The UCAL organization added volleyball and esports to go alongside the existing basketball competition, marking the first multi-sport season and the formation of the UCAL, with the UCBL becoming the UCAL's basketball championship.[3] For Season 7, it will add two more institutions in Immaculada Concepcion College (ICC) and WCC Aeronautical & Technological College (WCC) alongside a new streetdance competition. On the other hand, Guang Ming College will take a leave of absence.[4]
The UCAL is currently composed of ten member schools. Seven of them are based in Metro Manila while three are based in Calabarzon.
| School | Location | Founded | Nickname | Membership | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centro Escolar University | San Miguel, Manila | 1907 as Centro Escolar de Señoritas | Scorpions | 2016–present | |
| Diliman College | Diliman, Quezon City | 1998 as Diliman Computer Technology Institute | Blue Dragons | 2016–present | |
| Immaculada Concepcion College | Caloocan | 1984 | Blue Hawks | 2024–present | |
| Lyceum of the Philippines University – Batangas | Batangas City, Batangas | 1966 as Lyceum of Batangas | Pirates | 2017–present[5] | |
| Manila Central University | Caloocan | 1904 as Escuela de Farmacia del Liceo de Manila | Supremos | 2023–present | |
| Olivarez College | Parañaque | 1976 as Olivarez School of Nursing | Sea Lions | 2016–present | |
| Philippine Christian University – Dasmariñas | Dasmariñas, Cavite | 1946 as Philippine Christian College | Dolphins | 2018–present[6] | |
| Philippine Women's University | Malate, Manila | 1919 as Philippine Women's College | Patriots | 2023–present | |
| University of Batangas | Batangas City, Batangas | 1946 as Western Philippine Colleges | Brahmans | 2016–present | |
| WCC Aeronautical & Technological College | Caloocan | 2005 | Skyhawks | 2024–present |
| School | Location | Founded | Nickname | Membership | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulacan State University | Malolos, Bulacan | 1904 as Bulacan Trade School | Gold Gears | 2016–2018 | |
| Colegio de San Lorenzo | Project 8, Quezon City | 1987 (closed in 2022) | Griffins | 2016–2018 | |
| Guang Ming College | Tagaytay, Cavite | 2014 | Flying Dragons | 2022–2024[7] | |
| National College of Business and Arts | Cubao, Quezon City | 1967 | Wildcats | 2019–2020 | |
| St. Joseph College of Bulacan | Santa Maria, Bulacan | 1996 | Taurus | 2018–2019 | |
| Technological Institute of the Philippines | Quiapo, Manila | 1962 | Engineers | 2016–2020 |
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PlotData= width:20 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) fontsize:M anchor:from bar:BulSU color:Former from:2016 till:2018 text:"Bulacan State (2016–2018)" textcolor:white bar:CEU color:CEU from:2016 till:end text:"CEU (2016–present)" bar:DC color:DC from:2016 till:end text:"Diliman (2016–present)" textcolor:white bar:OC color:OC from:2016 till:end text:"Olivarez (2016–present)" textcolor:white bar:SanLorenzo color:Former from:2016 till:2018 text:"San Lorenzo (2016–2018)" textcolor:white bar:TIP color:Former from:2016 till:2020 text:"TIP (2016–2020)" textcolor:white bar:UB color:UB from:2016 till:end text:"UB (2016–present)" textcolor:white bar:LPUB color:LPUB from:2017 till:end text:"LPU–Batangas (2017–present)" textcolor:white bar:PCUD color:PCUD from:2018 till:end text:"PCU–Dasmariñas (2018–present)" textcolor:white bar:StJoseph color:Former from:2018 till:2019 text:"St. Joseph (2018–2019)" shift:(105,-5) bar:NCBA color:Former from:2019 till:2020 text:"NCBA (2019–2020)" shift:(105,-5) bar:GMC color:Former from:2022 till:2024 text:"GMC (2022–2024)" textcolor:white bar:MCU color:MCU from:2023 till:end text:"MCU (2023–present)" textcolor:white bar:PWU color:PWU from:2023 till:end text:"PWU (2023–present)" textcolor:white bar:ICC color:ICC from:2024 till:end text:"ICC (2024–present)" shift:(-120,-5) bar:WCC color:WCC from:2024 till:end text:"WCC (2024–present)" shift:(-130,-5) bar:Era color:NA at:2016 text:"Establishment of the UCBL" textcolor:linetext bar:Era color:NA from:2020 till:2022 text:"COVID" textcolor:red bar:Era color:NA at:2023 text:"Formation of the UCAL" textcolor:linetext
See main article: UCAL basketball championship.
The league first held its volleyball championship in Season 6 as one of two new additions that season. It is divided into two divisions: men's and women's.
| Season (Year) | Men's | Women's | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | Runner-up | Champion | Runner-up | ||
| 6 (2023–24) | PCU–D Dolphins | LPU–B Pirates | UB Lady Brahmans | LPU–B Lady Pirates | [8] |
| 7 (2024–25) | align=center colspan=5 | ||||
Alongside volleyball, the league also first held its esports championship in Season 6. Currently, the only game contested in the esports championship is . The men's division was first held in Season 6 while the women's division will be first held in Season 7.
| Season (Year) | Men's | Women's | Ref. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | Runner-up | Champion | Runner-up | ||
| 6 (2023–24) | UB Brahmans | LPU–B Pirates | [9] | ||
| 7 (2024–25) | align=center colspan=5 | ||||
The league's streetdance competition will be first held in Season 7 as its opening event.