The UP Fighting Maroons are the collegiate varsity teams of the University of the Philippines Diliman. The teams play in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the Philippines' premier college sports league.
UP is one of four member-universities that participate in all 15 sporting events of the league.
History UP was one of the founding members of the UAAP in 1938. It was also a founding member and the originator of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the year 1924.
UP is a perennial contender for the overall championship in the UAAP every season. The team last won the UAAP Seniors Overall Championship (now referred to as Collegiate) in the 1997–1998 season, two years before UP last hosted the competitions before its centennial.
The UAAP has eight member-universities and holds tournaments in 13 sports (17 sports disciplines). Only four of the eight member-universities participate in all of the thirteen sports; UP is one of these four.
Team identity
Team monikers Prior to the establishment of the NCAA in 1924, the sports press have been referring to the collegiate teams by the color of their uniforms. School varsity teams were called the Blue and Whites, the Red and Whites, the Green and Whites and in the case of UP, the Maroon and Greens. In the late 1930s, schools started to adopt mascots and the sports press would now refer to their varsity teams by the name of their mascots. Sportswriters wrote about the games played by the Blue Eagles, the Green Archers, the Red Lions in their sports articles for their news dailies. In the case of UP, the varsity team was called the UP Parrots when the school adopted the parrot as its mascot. Sometime in the 1990s, the moniker UP Parrots was changed to UP Fighting Maroons when the parrot was dropped as the team mascot. The new moniker revived the old (vintage 1920s) name Maroons, and the adjective "fighting" was added to describe the kind of spirit that the varsity teams of UP have when they participate in the arena of competitive sports.
Aside from Fighting Maroons, which is applicable for all teams, there are other official varsity team names that exist, which are sourced from the school's official student publications. They are as follows: (Note that either UP/UPIS is appended before the team names for the case of the collegiate and high school teams, respectively.)
Sport Men's team names Women's team names Boys' team names Girls' team names Basketball/3x3 Fighting Maroons Fighting Maroons Junior Fighting Maroons No team Football Fighting Maroons Booters Fighting Maroons Booters No team No team Volleyball/Beach Volley Fighting Maroons Fighting Maroons Fighting Maroons Fighting Maroons Baseball Fighting Maroons Batters No Team No Team No team Softball No team Fighting Maroons Batters No team No team Badminton Fighting Maroons Smashers Fighting Maroons Smashers No team No team Tennis Maroon Tennis Team Maroon Tennis Team No team No team Table Tennis Fighting Maroons Paddlers Fighting Maroons Paddlers Junior Fighting Maroons Paddlers Junior Fighting Maroons Paddlers Athletics Fighting Maroons Tracksters Fighting Maroons Tracksters Junior Fighting Maroons Tracksters Junior Fighting Maroons Tracksters Swimming Fighting Maroons Tankers Fighting Maroons Tankers Junior Fighting Maroons Tankers Junior Fighting Maroons Tankers Fencing Fighting Maroons Fencers Fighting Maroons Fencers Junior Fighting Maroons Fencers No team Judo Fighting Maroons Judokas Fighting Maroons Judokas No team No team Taekwondo (Poomsae/Sparring) Fighting Maroons Jins Fighting Maroons Jins No team No team Chess Fighting Maroons Woodpushers Fighting Maroons Woodpushers No team No team
Note, however, that such student publications are starting to use Fighting Maroons for all teams and just specify the team thus referred to in the lede or in the first mention.
Other varsity teams: UP Varsity Pep Squad Filipiniana Dance Troupe UP Streetdance Club UP Esports Varsity Team
Team logo
Prior to July 2015, there was no official logo for the UP Fighting Maroons. The University Seal was used in the uniforms of the university's student-athletes. The UP System's registered trademarks such as the Oblation and sometimes the university seal were used to represent the university's varsity team in UAAP broadcasts. A new logo representing the varsity team had to be designed after UP College of Human Kinetics Dean Ronnie Dizer told ABS-CBN Sports, the official broadcaster of the UAAP, that the Oblation logo is no longer allowed in UAAP coverage.
On July 20, 2015, a set of six logos were released by the University of the Philippines. The new main logo uses a clenched left fist as a primary symbol with the teams initials UMP. The logo according to the university highlights the "institution’s unique history and tradition – catalysts for change and defenders of the people.” The letter "M" is incorporated at the bottom part of the fist. The M design of the main logo is named the "M Cut". A partial version of the logo which composes only of the fist with the M Cut of the main logo may be used where the name of the team or the university is not required to be shown.
In addition, an internal, secondary, and tertiary logos were also revealed. The internal logo is in shape of the Oblation, the secondary logo is a geometric shapes arranged in a form of a fist, and the tertiary logo composes of a man and a woman raising and clenching one of their fists, named Isko & Iska. The later two logos, the secondary and tertiary are used for marketing and promotional purposes.
The proposal for the new brand identity was initiated by Mandy Reyes and Pete Jimenez of Nowhere to Go but UP, an alumni organization. The design team is composed of the following: Dan Matutina (along with Bernice de Leon-Yumul, Joanna Malinis, and Raxenne Maniquiz of Plus63 Design Co.), Kay Aranzanso, Ralph Guibani, and AJ Dimarucot.
June 20, 2015, leaked proposal
Prior to the July release of the new logos, one of the proposals for a new logo for the UP Fighting Maroons were unofficially released on June 15. The logo released on June 15 features a warrior holding a shield with the inscription "UP" in baybayin on his left hands aiming to throw a spear with his right hand.
The new logo was negatively received by the UP community. UP alumnus and Supreme Court spokesman Atty. Theodore Te criticized the logo and remarked that "There is a reason why there is an Oblation in every UP campus. And so many clenched fists too. That is the spirit behind the Oblation: service and sacrifice; the giving of self. It is the same spirit that moves every UP student and alum to raise a fist or offer a hand and not see any contradiction." Jojo Robles, a columnist at The Standard and another UP alumnus, agreed with Te's comments and implied that the logo violated the trademark of a vinegar manufacturer and called on the manufacturer to sue the designers.
The university clarified that the logo is still to be revised and the final version of the logo was released a month later on June 20, 2015.
Championships The following table shows the number of championships in the UAAP (and also the NCAA). It can be noted that UP has titles in all but two (beach volleyball and 3x3) of the disciplines in the UAAP program. The University boasts successful swimming and athletics programs, with 35 and 25 titles apiece in the league (38 for swimming and 31 for athletics, if one includes NCAA). UP also holds the most titles in badminton (15) in the UAAP.
UAAP Sport Men's Women's Boys' Girls' Total Notes Swimming 17 17 0 2 36 Athletics 21 0 4 – 25 Football 20 1 – 21 Judo 5 12 0 – 17 Badminton 5 10 15 Volleyball 4 8 0 0 12 Basketball 4 7 1 12 Baseball 11 – 11 Table Tennis 3 6 0 0 9 Tennis 6 0 6 Fencing 1 5 0 – 6 Chess 1 3 – – 4 Softball 4 4 Taekwondo Gyeorugi 0 2 0 2 Taekwondo Poomsae 1 1 Beach volley 0 0 0 0 0 3x3 0 0 0 – 0 Note: Poomsae is a coed event. The most championships in each division are in italics.
NCAA
Sport Men's Women's Boys' Girls' Total Notes Basketball 4 3 7 Swimming 3 3 Tennis 1 | 0 1
Also has six uncategorized team titles in athletics.
Legend: Dashes (–) mean no team. Black boxes mean no championships were awarded in this event and division. In the case of NCAA, no titles were awarded in the entire time UP was part of the said league.
Streaks
Current/Active Championship Streak(s):
Longest Championship Streak(s) (4 years and over):
Women's Badminton – 6 (1995–2000) (UR) Men's Athletics – 5 (1963–1967) and (1975–1979) Women's Swimming – 5 (2009–2013) Men's Swimming – 5 (2003–2007) Women's Fencing – 5 (2000–2004) Baseball – 5 (1977–1981) (UR) Men's Football – 5 (1973–1977)
Boys' Athletics – 4 (2010–2013) Women's Basketball – 4 (1980–1983) Men's Badminton – 4 (1997–2000) Women's Judo – 4 (1999–2002 and 2006–2009) Women's Table Tennis – 4 (1997–2000) Men's Volleyball – 4 (1977–1980)
(UR) means UAAP Record. The team has another streak from 1996–1999 (4). Includes 1 co-championship (1977 with FEU). Includes 2 co-championships (both with UST).
Double championships A double crown is achieved when the collegiate (Men's and Women's) and high school (Boys' and Girls') squads win the championship of the same sport in the same year in the UAAP.
Collegiate: Badminton: 4 (consecutive: 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01) Swimming: 4 (1993–94, 1997–1998, 2010–2011, 2013–2014) Judo: 3 (consecutive: 1995–96 and 1996–1997, 2007–08) Volleyball: 2 (1977–78, 1979–80) Football: 1 (2015–2016) Baseball/Softball: 1 (2001–2002) Table Tennis: 1 (1998–1999)
These are "double crowns" of a different nature.
Men's & Boys' Basketball: 2 (NCAA: 1925–26 and 1926–27) Men's & Girls' Swimming: 2 (2006–07 and 2007–08)
Rankings history The following tables show the rankings history of the teams in the UAAP.
Collegiate Division Gold border denotes overall championship season. Year MEN'S 1996–97UAAP 59 Web Archive Retrieved October 15, 2007 3rd 4th 2nd 2nd 3rd 2nd 3rd 5th 1st 3rd 1st 2nd 6th 1997–98 4th ? 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 3rd 5th 1st 3rd 1st 2nd 6th 1998–99 5th 6th 1st 2nd 1st 1st 1st 5th 3rd 2nd 2nd 3rd 1999–2000 1st 2000–01 3rd 2001–02 7th 7th 4th 5th 1st 7th 3rd 8th 7th 7th 6th 3rd 3rd 2002–03 6th 3rd 2nd 6th 2nd 2nd 1st 6th 5th 5th 2nd 2nd 2nd 2003–04 7th 2nd 1st 2nd 2nd 3rd 5th 4th 4th 4th 3rd 1st 2nd 2004–05 5th 2nd 1st 4th 5th 3rd 4th 7th 3rd 6th 2nd 2nd 6th 2005–06 4th 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 6th 6th 5th 1st 1st 4th 4th 2006–07 6th 2nd 2nd 1st 2nd 3rd 2nd 4th 6th 4th 6th 2nd 4th 3rd 2007–08 8th 4th 8th 1st 3rd 4th 3rd 5th 5th 3rd 5th 1st 3rd 4th 2008–09 6th 2nd 4th 3rd 6th 3rd 3rd 5th 5th 3rd 4th 4th 2nd 1st 2009–10 8th 4th 3rd 4th 5th 3rd 3rd 4th 5th 3rd 4th 3rd 3rd 6th 2010–11 8th 3rd 4th 1st 4th 4th 4th 5th 6th 1st 3rd 4th 6th 1st 2011–12 8th 6th 4th 4th 3rd 5th 4th 6th 6th 3rd 4th 4th 6th 1st 2012–13 8th 5th 3rd 5th 6th 5th 6th 3rd 2nd 2013–14 8th 4th 1st 6th 4th 3rd 3rd 2nd Year Year WOMEN'S 1996–97 4th 3rd 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 5th 1st 3rd 1st 1st 5th 1997–98 3rd 1st 1998–99 3rd 5th 2nd 2nd 1st 1st 6th 4th 2nd 3rd 3rd 1999–2000 5th 2000–01 4th 2001–02 3rd 4th 5th 2nd 2nd 7th 4th 7th 3rd 5th 5th 3rd 6th 2002–03 4th 4th 3rd 4th 3rd 3rd 4th 1st 1st 1st 3rd 4th 2003–04 2nd 5th 3rd 1st 3rd 3rd 3rd 7th 1st 2nd 2nd 4th 4th 2004–05 4th 6th 3rd 1st 7th 4th 5th 6th 1st 3rd 1st 5th 2nd 2005–06 3rd 7th 2nd 2nd 5th 3rd 4th 7th 3rd 2nd 2nd 2nd 4th 2006–07 4th 6th 7th 2nd 3rd 3rd 2nd 3rd 4th 2nd 2nd 1st 2nd 3rd 2007–08 2nd 5th 8th 3rd 3rd 3rd 4th 4th 5th 3rd 2nd 1st 1st 5th 2008–09 2nd 7th 8th 2nd 4th 3rd 4th 6th 5th 2nd 3rd 1st 4th 5th 2009–10 5th 6th 7th 1st 4th 5th 4th 5th 5th 4th 4th 1st 3rd 4th 2010–11 6th 7th 7th 1st 4th 4th 3rd 5th 6th 5th 4th 2nd 4th 5th 2011–12 7th 8th 7th 1st 2nd 1st 3rd 5th 4th 4th 3rd 2nd 2nd 4th 2012–13 7th 4th 1st 2nd 6th 5th 6th 4th 2nd 2013–14 6th 8th 1st 1st 3rd 4th 2nd 5th Year