AFTER five days of intense competition at the Marcos Sports Center at the South La Union Campus of the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU), MMSU’s contingent emerged overall champion both in the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association-I (SCUAA-I) Sports Meet and in the Philippine Association of State Colleges and Universities-I (PASUC-I) Cultural Festival.

This recent feat has elevated MMSU to the “Hall of Fame” after emerging champion in both sports and cultural competitions for four consecutive years.

MMSU’s contingent amassed total points of 343 in the sports competitions clinching championship in softball and baseball in ball games; in women’s lawn tennis, swimming, and chess and in men’s badminton, swimming, and billiards in the allied games; and in men’s and women’s athletics. (See overall results on P6)
 In the cultural competitions, MMSU accumulated total points of 125 grabbing the gold in the pep squad, dancesport, folkdance, ethnic dance, vocal solo, vocal duet, dagliang talumpati, and Ms. PASUC-I competitions.  The university placed second in instrumental solo, chorus, quiz bowl, and Mr. PASUC-I contests.

According to an article in the Forum, a special publication by DMMMSU in coverage of the 2007 competitions, MMSU’s overall excellent performance in both the sports and cultural tilts has been expected given the history of the university’s dominance in the many years of the regional competition.

According to Physical Education and Sports Development Office Director Arsenio T. Gallego, the overall support of the administration and the team managers as well as the cohesiveness of the MMSU contingent which was not apparent in the other teams made the university successful in its rally for the ‘hall of fame’ status.

Meanwhile, the University of Northern Philippines (UNP) settled for the first runner-up title in the SCUAA-I competitions after garnering only 289 points behind MMSU’s 343.  The Pangasinan State University (PSU) landed as second runner-up with 268.5 points; DMMMSU, third runner-up – 241 points; and Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College (ISPSC), fourth runner-up – 107.5 points.

On the other hand, DMMMSU ranked second in the cultural competitions accumulating 107 points; PSU, third – 93 points; ISPSC, fourth – 60 points; and UNP, fifth – 59 points.

To celebrate this latest feat of the university, a thanksgiving and victory party tendered by the administration for the team managers, sports and cultural coaches and trainers, athletes, and cultural contestants was held yesterday, Feb. 7, at the Teatro Ilocandia.