With the return of Philippine Women’s University (PWU) and the acceptance St. Francis of Assissi College to the family, the league has established itself as one of the biggest associations in the country today and perhaps one of the top breeding grounds of future national athletes.

"We are hoping that our league will continue to become the breeding ground of top women athletes here in our country," said NCR President Angie Dela Cruz in yesterday’s press conference at the Mannlich Restaurant of the Grand Boulevard Hotel.

"It’s difficult to handle the tournament which has plenty of participants but we are grateful that many schools wanted to showcase the talents of their women athletes in our league. We’ll see to it that everything will be under control," she added.

Events on tap are basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, futsal, swimming, taekwondo, table tennis, lawn tennis, badminton and athletics.

St. Stephen’s High School, this year’s host, has invited Olympian swimmer Akiko Thomson to be the guest speaker in the opening ceremonies along with sports officials from the Philippine Sports Commission.

St. Francis and PWU are hoping to create a big impact in basketball with the Doves clashing with Miriam College at 3:30 p.m. and the PWU squad taking on San Sebastian College at 5 p.m.

The junior squad of St. Stephen will also show their stuff in the opening day when it tackles Angelicum College at 2 p.m.

Over at the San Sebastian gym, midgets reigning titlist Miriam College takes on De La Salle Zobel at 11 a.m., while the juniors defending champion Zobel Green Archers collides with St. Stephen at 2 p.m.

Volleyball action in the juniors and midgets divisions will also start at the Rizal Technological University gym with juniors titlist Miriam College going up against St. Francis at 9 a.m.

Other participating teams are AMA Computer University, Centro Escolar U, Chiang Kai Shek College, College of St. Benilde, Emilio Aguinaldo College, La Consolacion College, La Salle College-Antipolo, Lyceum of the Philippines, Rizal Tech University, Siena College of Quezon City, St. Scholastica’s, University of Asia and the Pacific and World Citi Colleges.