THE 42nd season of the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (WNCAA) unfurls on Saturday with three basketball matches at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Host school Rizal Technological University (RTU) will take on Centro Escolar University (CEU) at 12:30 p.m. to be followed by the midget battle between Saint Pedro Poveda College (SPPC) and St. Paul College-Pasig (SPCP) at 2 p.m.

St. Scholastica’s College (SSC) and San Beda College-Alabang (SBCA) battle in the third game at 3:30 p.m.

Sixteen schools will participate in nine sports—basketball, volleyball, futsal, badminton, swimming, table tennis, tennis, taekwondo and cheerdance.

Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales will be the guest speaker in the opening ceremonies of the first and only existing trilevel league for women.

Taking a leave of absence for this coming season are College of St. Benilde, Lyceum of the Philippines University and La Consolacion College.

WNCAA president Vivian Manila of SSC said St. Benilde and Lyceum cannot join this year because they won’t be able to compete in three major events—basketball, volleyball and cheerdance—while La Consolacion cited internal problems.

“We believe that through Wncaa, we will achieve greater heights and help in developing sports in the country,” said RTU president Jesus Torres during Wednesday’s launch of the new in a restaurant in Manila.

“Sports is a very important tool in the total development of the human being.”

The other participating schools are Angelicum College, Miriam College, Emilio Aguinaldo College, University of Asia and the Pacific, Philippine Women’s University, Chiang Kai Shek College, St. Stephen’s High School, La Salle College Antipolo, St. Jude Catholic School and De La Salle Zobel.