NCAA suspends admission of new members for 2009

MANILA, Philippines – After a tedious process, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) will defer in admitting a new members for the 85th season of the country’s oldest sports league. NCAA policy board president Dr. Reynaldo Vea of the Mapua Institute of Technology said that the league had turned down, for the time being, the membership applications of Emilio Aguinaldo College, Arellano University, Lyceum of the Philippines University, and Angeles University Foundation. "By NCAA rules, none of the four applicants can be admitted to the NCAA next season because none got the necessary number of votes," Vea said in a press statement. The four schools, however, still have a chance to be admitted for the 86th season of the league. "The Policy Board does unanimously agreed to hold the status quo of the seven NCAA members for the next season without prejudice to their application for their admission in Season 86," Vea added. NCAA management committee chairman Ding Lozano said that they would continue to review the applications of the four schools. He added that they were not discounting the possibility of opening the door for new applicants for Season 86. "We’ll review again their applications if we are going to accept an eighth member," Lozano said. "It’s also possible that we’ll accept new applicants." Starting on the next season, the members of the league will be San Beda College, Jose Rizal University, Mapua Institute of Technology, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, University of Perpetual Help Dalta, Letran College, and College of Saint Benilde. Philippine Christian University (PCU) will take a leave of absence starting next season, but the league is open to its reentry. PCU, however, will have to reapply for membership. – GMANews.TV