THE National University (NU) Pep Squad seeks a third straight crown in the highly anticipated University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 78 Cheerdance Competition at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
From a perennial also-ran, the Bulldogs have been on a steady rise, finishing sixth four years ago, making a podium finish in 2012, before snaring two straight titles.
NU is seeking to become the third school in the 20-year-old competition to win three cheerdance titles after the University of Santo Tomas Salinggawi Dance Troupe and the University of the Philippines Pep Squad.
Last season the Bulldogs were dominant in all aspects—tumbling, stunts, tosses, pyramids and dances—to tally 677.5 points and take home the P240,000 cash prize. UP, with gender equality as its theme, settled for runner-up honors with 658 points, while UST returned to the podium with 625 points on a Chinese-style performance.
Tickets to the competition have been sold-out.
UP will perform first, followed by La Salle Animo Squad, Ateneo Blue Babble Battalion, NU, University of the East Pep Squad, Adamson Pep Squad, FEU and UST.
In the group stunts category, the Tamaraws, who dethroned the Bulldogs last year, are seeking to retain the title.
The cheerdance competition is part of a heavy UAAP weekend, which also features Sunday’s men’s basketball showdown between fierce rivals Ateneo and La Salle, also at the Mall of Asia Arena.