Blazers keep scholarships

We made a commitment to these athletes and their families

Varsity athletes of College of Saint Benilde will keep their athletic scholarships despite the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) decision to hold only the four mandatory sports in Season 96.

In an official statement, the Blazers announced that they are keeping their athletes in mandatory sports like basketball, volleyball, swimming and track and field as well as those from football, taekwondo, chess, lawn tennis, table tennis, beach volleyball and badminton.

On the same note, athletes from non-NCAA sports like fencing and arnis would still be part of the school’s 250 scholar-athletes.

The Athletic Recruit Grant is granted to student-athletes who represent the school in the NCAA and other athletic meets. It waives the partial to full tuition and miscellaneous fees as well as provide monthly allowance and dormitory privileges to those from the provinces.

Benilde Center for Sports Development director Stephen Fernandez said they are looking forward to continuously supporting their athletes even in this time of pandemic.

“We will continue to guide our student-athletes while online training and conditioning would be an option,” said Fernandez, a former taekwondo star and secretary general of the Philippine Taekwondo Association.

“We will also wait for the guidelines as to how the events will be played in the NCAA this 2021.”

Fernandez said the health and safety of their athletes remain their top priority.

“We made a commitment to these athletes and their families,” he said.

“And we remain true to our mission of faith, service and communion.”

Among the school’s prominent student-athletes are three-time Olympian Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting, Agatha Wong of wushu, Johnvic de Guzman of volleyball and Kristie Elaine Alora of taekwondo.