Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan’s High School (XUHS) Lady Crusaders and Women Crusaders (college level) dominated in various sports during the recently-concluded Mindanao Peace Games (MPG) 2016, hosted by the Holy Trinity College in General Santos City.

XU Women Crusaders emerged as champions in the college division of football, chess, and badminton. In the college table tennis, XU Women Crusaders landed second and third in college basketball.

Meanwhile, the XUHS Lady Crusaders won the championship in the high school level of football. This was the first time for XUHS athletes to participate in the MPG and was separate from the tertiary level. The XUHS Athletics Office and the school administrators were instrumental in sending the high school athletes to the 2016 MPG.

The Miss Mindanao Peace Games 2016 title was also crowned to Business Administration junior student Angelica Z Tamayo, who is also a member of the XU college basketball women's team.

A total of 12 schools participated this year, including Ateneo de Davao University, Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Holy Cross of Davao College, La Salle University of Ozamis, Holy Trinity College of General Santos City, Fr Saturino Urios University, St Joseph Institute of Technology Inc, Datu Ibrahim Paglas Memorial College in Maguindanao, Sebucal High School of Misamis Occidental, Hope Christian School of General Santos City, and St Vincent College of Dipolog City.

Around 400 athletes and coaches attended this “event for peace,” a gathering of female student-athletes and women sports leaders in Mindanao.

Selected team captains from the different MPG-participating schools will join the Team Captains Leadership Summit (TCLS) in Davao City to be hosted by Ateneo de Davao University from January 26 to 28, 2017.

In addition, TCLS will be followed by coaching courses and the MPG Leadership Summit in Singapore next year.

The MPG also served as an opportunity for the teams to exchange best practices and share their struggles and success stories to one another.

Outstanding women sports leaders from the various fields and interests also shared on how a sports event, such as MPG, provides a venue for the development of sports, especially among women, and how it promotes understanding among the different cultures of Mindanao.

Aimed at developing future women leaders in sports, the MPG has already conducted seven coaches' fora in Mindanao and held the first-ever Mindanao Peace Games in October 2015 in Cagayan de Oro City, benefitting some 600 athletes and 400 coaches.

The MPG was made possible in partnership with SMART Inc, National Youth Commission, Discovery Sports, and Philippine Sports Commission. ∎

XU Women Crusaders: College Badminton - Champion 

XU Women Crusaders: College Badminton

XU Women Crusaders: College Chess - Champion

XU Women Crusaders: College Football - Champion

XUHS Lady Crusaders Varsity:  Football - Champion

XUHS Lady Crusaders: Football - Champion