03/09/2026
โ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐: Cats leave paw prints in womenโs pickleball history
โCats went wild at the pickleball court, etching their names in the MSUSAA Unity Games 2026 record books as the firstโever women's pickleball champions on September 3 at the Rally Side Pickleball, Dimaluna.
โ
โThe Dragons claimed the first runner up, while the MSUโGensan Generals took the second runnerโup honors after a resilient tournament run.
โ
โ"MSU-IIT Varsity Team of Pickleball is very grateful because this is the first time we have a pickleball sports and I'm so overwhelmed right now kasi first time ma champion kami sa pickleball and it's us pa gyud. " Mary Grace Cabalhin, one of the Cats' key players, and shared moments after the historic victory.
โThe tournament format was unforgiving with a roundโrobin battle across 45 games, followed by a doโorโdie semifinals with the top 4 contenders, before facing the Dragons in the championship match.
โ
โThe 2โ1 finals victory was no stroll. The Dragons fought tooth and nail, but the Cats held their ground when it mattered most, closing out the decisive set with composure and grit.
โ
โWhat made the triumph even more remarkable was the investment the team made long before the first serve.
โ
โ"Since day one, we had several trainings. And from our own pocket gyud kay nagโrent pa mi og pickleball courts diri sa Iligan just for our practice," Cabalhin revealed.
โ
โThat dedication paid off when the final point dropped. As the scoreboard confirmed their 2โ1 win over the Dragon.
โ
โWith their names now permanently etched in MSUSAA history, the Cats have set the gold standard for women's pickleball, a benchmark that future champions will chase, but these pioneers will always own.
Update by Areej Aguam
Photo by Hamim Macalandap
Layout by Amerhassan Lomabao and Norhussein Langlang Jamel
