Membership timeline

First semester sports (September–December)

• Basketball (Collegiate) – October (Mall of Asia Arena, Smart Araneta Coliseum, Philsports Arena, Ynares Sports Center, UST Quadricentennial Pavilion)
• Badminton (Collegiate) – October (Centro Atletico Badminton Center – Cubao, Quezon City)
• Athletics – November (PhilSports Football and Athletics Stadium)
• Beach Volleyball (Collegiate) – November (SM Mall of Asia - Sands at SM by the Bay)
• Chess – November (Far Eastern University Diliman Gym, Far Eastern University Institute of Technology Gym)
• Swimming – November (Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool)
• Table Tennis – November (Amoranto Sports Complex)
• Cheerdance (Coed) – December (Mall of Asia Arena, Smart Araneta Coliseum)
• Taekwondo – November (Marikina Sports Complex Basketball Gym)
• Judo – November/December (Marikina Sports Complex Basketball Gym)

As of Season 86

Second semester sports (January–May)

• Basketball (High School) – January (Filoil EcoOil Centre)
• Baseball – February (University of the Philippines Diliman Baseball/Softball Field)
• Softball – February (University of the Philippines Diliman Baseball/Softball Field)
• Volleyball (Collegiate) – February (Filoil EcoOil Centre, Mall of Asia Arena, Smart Araneta Coliseum)
• Volleyball (High School) – February (Adamson University Gym – Ermita, Malate)
• Football – February (University of the Philippines Diliman Football Stadium, Rizal Memorial Stadium)
• Fencing – February (UST Quadricentennial Pavilion)
• Tennis – February (Rizal Memorial Tennis Center)
• 3x3 – April

Ateneo–UP rivalry

School colors of Ateneo and UP

A rivalry between the Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines, the country's two highest-ranked academic institutions for decades, existed even before the formation of the NCAA and UAAP.^[28] Students of UP would troop from Padre Faura to the Ateneo campus in Intramuros to play basketball with the Ateneans,^[29] which led to Ateneo forming the first organized cheering squad and pep band in the Philippines and what is now known as the Blue Babble Battalion.^[30] This would later become UAAP's "Battle of Katipunan" when both universities transferred to their respective campuses along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City, and when the two schools began competing in the UAAP.^{[31][32][33][34]}

While both schools featured in the UAAP championship games for other events like men's football, the now-dubbed "Battle of Katipunan" garnered nationwide attention for the first time in UAAP history when third-seeded UP Fighting Maroons, after ending a 21-year long drought of Final Four appearance, overcame second-seeded Adamson Soaring Falcons' twice-to-beat advantage to advance to the finals for the first time since their 1986 championship to face defending champions Ateneo Blue Eagles in men's basketball in 2018.^[35] Excluding 2019, Ateneo and UP's men's basketball teams have since faced each other in the UAAP post-season rounds four times. Ateneo won the championship in Season 81 in 2018 via sweep,^[36][37] and Season 85 in 2022 via do-or-die game.^[38][39] The Fighting Maroons ended the Blue Eagles' all-time UAAP men's basketball record 39-game win streak,^[40][41] and won the title via do-or-die game in Season 84 in 2022,^[42][43] before defeating them in the Final Four the following year to end Ateneo's six consecutive seasons of UAAP Finals appearances and podium finishes from 2016 to 2022.^[44][45][46]

Ateneo–La Salle rivalry

School colors of
Ateneo and La Salle

The rivalry between Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University, widely regarded as the Philippines' foremost collegiate rivalry for decades,^[28] has resulted in sold-out games (especially in men's basketball and women's volleyball, the latter of which both schools hold the current all-time record for the longest joint UAAP Finals appearance from 2012 to 2017) that attract several public figures in attendance, including politicians, movie stars, and foreign diplomats.^[47] It is also the foremost school rivalry in the UAAP since La Salle joined the UAAP from the NCAA in 1986.^[48] However, the rivalry dates back to the time when both schools were playing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association from 1924 until Ateneo transferred to the UAAP in 1978.^[49][50][51]

UP–UST rivalry

School colors of
UP and UST

The cheerdance rivalry between University of the Philippines and University of Santo Tomas has been one of the most productive rivalries in any event in UAAP history. Since the inception of the cheerdance, UP and UST possess the best winning records, dominating the top podium finishes between the 1990s and early 2010s, including consecutive joint podium finishes by both schools from 1999 to 2008. Both schools' pep squads are famous for their stunts and high-energy performances. UST has won eight cheerdance titles which included five straight victories from 2002 to 2006, while UP has won eight cheerdance titles and completed podium finishes for a total of 20 years, the most for the event. Since 2010, the rivalry turned into a friendly one as both UP and UST supporters cheered their school cheers during the announcement of winners.^[52]

Although matches between these universities have not reached a rivalry status in sporting events outside of cheerdance, the battle between their respective teams may be referred to as "Separation of Church and State".^[53][54] UST is the sole pontifical university in the country wherein Pope Pius XII gave it the title "The Catholic University of the Philippines".^[55] UP, on the other hand, has been declared by the Philippine government as the country's "national university".^[56]

The popularity of the rivalry between the two universities diminished in the late 2010s in the cheerdance competition as a result of the rise of National University.^[28] It gained greater prominence when the two teams competed against each other in the UAAP Season 82 men's basketball semifinals. The Growling Tigers swept the Fighting Maroons, who had the twice-to-beat advantage, to return to the UAAP Finals.^[57][58][59]

La Salle–UST rivalry

School colors of
La Salle and UST

Both were known for their numerous basketball championship matches in the 1990s with UST winning four straight titles from 1993 to 1996, the last three of which were at the expense of the Green Archers at the UAAP Finals. In 1997, La Salle eliminated UST in the semifinals to deny the Growling Tigers of a fifth consecutive championship title. In 1999, La Salle defeated the Growling Tigers to win the basketball crown and achieved their own 4-peat championship streak from 1998 to 2001.^[60][61][62] Their basketball rivalry diminished in latter years because of UST's decline.^[28]

It became a celebrated rivalry in women's volleyball, as the Lady Spikers and the Tigresses met three times in the championship of the Shakey's V-League tournament. UST won the first and La Salle winning the latter two. The Tigresses have won five championships while the Lady Spikers have three under their belt.^[63]

The women's volleyball rivalry was carried over to the UAAP. The DLSU Lady Spikers and the UST Tigresses met in the UAAP Finals for two consecutive seasons – Season 72 (won by UST) and Season 73 (won by La Salle). But, UST struggled in the succeeding seasons. Both schools met in the semifinals in Seasons 79 and 85 (won by La Salle), and Season 81 (won by UST). In Season 81, UST ended La Salle's decade-long streak of finals appearances (running from 2009 to 2018). It was the longest in the Final Four era of UAAP volleyball.^[64]

FEU–UE rivalry

School colors of
FEU and UE

The rivalry between Far Eastern University and University of the East started in the 1950s. Tagged as the "Battle of the East", these two schools, along with UST, have the winningest basketball squads in the league (FEU having won 20 basketball championships while UE having won 18 titles).^[28][65]

La Salle–FEU rivalry

School colors of
La Salle and FEU

The rivalry was sparked after the Season 54 Basketball Finals in 1991 when La Salle's final game win was protested by FEU after a Green Archer was admitted into the playing court after being disqualified. The UAAP Board upheld the protest and ordered the replay. The protest was taken up by FIBA, the highest international governing body in basketball. FIBA and the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) supported La Salle's stand on the issue.^[66][67][68] La Salle did not show up, claiming to have won legitimately, and FEU was awarded the trophy by default. La Salle then had their victory parade pass through all UAAP schools – when they passed through the FEU campus, the motorcade was bombarded with debris.^[28][69]

The rivalry between La Salle and FEU has produced several momentous scenes and drama in UAAP Basketball history. FEU and La Salle faced each other in the UAAP Finals in 2004 and 2005, with the Green Archers prevailing in 2004 and FEU winning the year afterwards. However, La Salle's 2004 championship was forfeited and handed to the Tamaraws instead after a controversial ineligibility issue, which also caused La Salle's suspension in 2006.^[70]

La Salle and FEU have met seven times in the finals of UAAP women's volleyball, most recently in 2018 when La Salle swept FEU en route to their 11th overall championship.^{[71][72][73][74]} La Salle has won three crowns over FEU in their head-to-head finals matchups, while FEU, having the most number of volleyball championship titles in the country (with a total of 29 titles in the league), has won four crowns over La Salle, most recently in Season 65 (2002). La Salle holds the record of having the longest streak of 10 consecutive appearances in the UAAP Women's Volleyball Finals from 2009 to 2018.^[75]

Adamson–UP rivalry

School colors of
Adamson and UP

The rivalry started when Adamson had the twice-to-beat advantage against UP in the UAAP Season 81 men's basketball semifinals. During that season, UP and Adamson were the only remaining schools that had yet to compete in the men's basketball championship round in the UAAP in the 21st century. After losing twice in the elimination rounds, UP defeated Adamson in two games, including the overtime in the do-or-die match, to pose their first appearance in the UAAP Finals in any of the league's marquee events in the 21st century.^[76][77]

Adamson–Ateneo rivalry

School colors of
Adamson and Ateneo

The Adamson Soaring Falcons and the Ateneo Blue Eagles did not have a well-known rivalry, but Adamson ended a 13-year, 29-match losing streak against Ateneo in the UAAP Season 74 basketball tournaments when they defeated Ateneo in the last game of the elimination round and denied the Blue Eagles of a thrice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals. Their rivalry, also referred to as the "Battle of the Birds",^[78] began in 2010 when they met in the finals of the Philippine Collegiate Championship League, a year before Adamson denied Ateneo a sweep of the elimination rounds of the UAAP Season 74 men's basketball tournament.^[79]

While Adamson and Ateneo's UAAP men's basketball rivalry was rekindled by their semifinal matchup in UAAP Season 85, both notably competed in the playoffs of women's volleyball in UAAP Seasons 75, 76 and 84, with Ateneo prevailing in all mentioned matchups and, in the latter case, ousting Adamson from contention for the Final Four round. In 2023, however, Adamson pulled off an upset by defeating the defending champions, Ateneo, during their matchup in the first round of the eliminations to send Ateneo to its weakest tournament opening since clinching the first ever season sweep in the Final Four era of UAAP men's basketball in 2019,^[80][81] before facing off against each other in the fourth seed playoff.^[82][83] Ateneo eventually prevailed in the do-or-die playoff to extend their UAAP men's basketball semifinals appearance streak to its ninth season – the longest ongoing streak so far by any team in the tournament.^[84][85]