TEAM MMSU formed the bulk of the Region I delegation to the 2011 State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA) National Olympic Games and Sports Meet held Feb. 21-25 in Isabela province. Over one hundred-sixty MMSU athletes, officials, coaches, trainors, chaperons, and support staff comprised half of the regional team.

The opening program was held Feb. 21 at the Isabela Sports Complex in Ilagan town with Rep.   Juan Edgrado “Sonny” Angara, chair of the House Committee on Higher Education, keynoting the event that gathered around 10,000 participants from 119 state colleges and universities representing 16 regions across the nation. Joel Villanueva, TESDA director also graced the customary kick-off rites for the 14 events: baseball, soccer, swimming, softball, lawn tennis, volleyball, basketball, table tennis, athletics, sepak takraw, taekwondo, badminton, chess, and dance sports. Also held was the search for Miss National SCUAA 2011, with Angelica Fandag (BS Nursing-III), reigning Miss MMSU, emerging as semifinalist.

In the medal tally, Region I heaped 1 gold, 11 silver, and 13 bronze medals in athletics, swimming, lawn tennis, taekwondo, and basketball.  The lone gold medal was clinched by Fatima Mitra, a BA Sociology student from MMSU, in discus throw.  Of the 11 silver medals, seven were won by MMSU students.  Nine of the 13 bronze medals were also won by MMSU.

The National Capital Region heaped the most number of gold medals with 59, followed by Region IV, 22; Region III, 21; Region V, 15; Region VI, 8; Region II, 7; and CAR, 2. Like Region I, Regions IX and XII also won one gold medal each.  Regions VII, VIII, X, XI, and ARMM scored no gold.

Prof. Arsenio Gallego, PESSDO director, was elated with the results. With proper training and enough support, Ilocano athletes, most of them children of farmers, were able to set “benchmarks of excellence.” MMSU captured the SCUAA Region I meet overall championship in December last year. It was the Green and Gold’s eighth title in eight consecutive years, a record unmatched in the history of the annual athletic meet.

The Province of Isabela, in close coordination with Isabela State University, had an excellent job in hosting this national meet. They were confident all along, having played host in 1993 to the Palarong Pambansa, the country’s biggest student competition. Sports facilities have been refurbished for the event.