Looking to mount a cycle similar to its traditional setup, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines said it would be staging 60 events across 21 sports for its 85th varsity season.

“As far as UAAP is concerned, all events pre-pandemic will be staged,” league president Fr. Aldrin Suan told the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.

The new season features staple events like men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s football, cheerdance, athletics, and swimming.

Also listed are badminton, chess, table tennis, judo, taekwondo, fencing, softball, baseball, lawn tennis, 3x3 basketball, beach volleyball, and streetdance competition.

The season kicks off Oct. 1 with the opening rites pre-recorded and to be aired at 12:30 p.m. The men’s basketball tournament officially takes the lid off the games, with host Adamson University taking on the University of Santo Tomas at 2 p.m.

The defending champion the University of the Philippines then plays La Salle at 4 p.m.

The UAAP said it will also hold quadruple-headers for its men’s basketball showcase every Wednesday and will observe a break sometime mid-November to help out the national cage program.

The UAAP staged only seven events last season: men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, 3x3 basketball, men’s beach volleyball, chess, poomsae, and the beloved cheerdance competition.

UST was again crowned general champion of that season, hiking its total to 65 titles.