Paladins and Bulldogs Hold Advantage Following Fall Season
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Furman University's men and Samford University's women hold the early leads in the races for the Southern Conference's respective all-sports trophies following the completion of the fall sports season.
Furman's men's teams were the most consistent performers in the fall with top-four finishes in each of the SoCon's three men's sports, including a second-place finish in men's soccer. The Paladins, with 30 total points, also placed third in cross country and fourth in football. Furman's only Commissioner's Cup victory came in the 1990-91 season.
Appalachian State, winners of 31 Commissioner's Cups overall, including 18 of the last 19 seasons, also posted strong finishes across the board, tying for second place in football and placing fourth at the cross country championship. ASU recorded 28 points to trail the Paladins by two.
UNCG sits in third place with 24 points after winning championships in both cross country and soccer, followed closely by football champion Georgia Southern, which is in fourth with 22.
Bolstered by its first-ever SoCon men's soccer tournament championship, Elon (21.5 points) anchors the fifth spot in the Commissioner's Cup standings, followed by Davidson (19.5), Wofford (18.5) and Chattanooga (14.5) in the sixth through eight spots, respectively.
College of Charleston (11.5), Western Carolina (10.5), Samford (10) and The Citadel (9) complete the rankings.
In the race for the Germann Cup, the trophy presented to the top all-around women's athletics program, Samford holds a 3.5 point advantage over the nearest school. The Bulldogs accumulated 33 points on the strength of regular season and tournament championships in both soccer and volleyball. The 2009-10 winner of the Germann Cup, Samford finished one-half point behind Appalachian State in the final standings a year ago.
College of Charleston, the South Division champion in volleyball and tournament runners-up in both soccer and volleyball, occupy the second slot with 29.5 points.
Furman (27.5 points) narrowly edged UNCG (26.5) to claim the third position after the fall season. The Spartans won the 2011 SoCon cross country championship.
Elon (21.5) is fifth on the ledger and is trailed by Appalachian State (20.5), Davidson (19), Western Carolina (19) and Georgia Southern (16). The final three schools in the rankings are Wofford (9.5), The Citadel (6) and Chattanooga (4).
The Commissioner's and Germann Cups are awarded annually to the Southern Conference schools fielding the league's best all-around men's and women's sports programs. Schools earn points based upon its regular season finish, with two bonus points going to the team that wins the conference tournament.
The Commissioner's Cup was inaugurated in 1970 and the Germann Cup was first awarded in 1987. The latter is named after former SoCon Commissioner, Ken Germann, who served as commissioner of the Southern Conference from 1974-86 and spearheaded the effort to introduce women's athletics to the league.
Appalachian State has won the Commissioner's Cup 31 times since entering the SoCon in 1971, earning 18 of the last 19 trophies. Chattanooga won the award in 2004-05.
Appalachian State, the 2010-11 winner of the Germman Cup, is one of just five schools to ever win the trophy, joining College of Charleston, Furman, Samford and Chattanooga.
Commissioner's Cup
(through fall men's sports)
1. Furman 30
2. Appalachian State 28
3. UNCG 24
4. Georgia Southern 22
5. Elon 21.5
6. Davidson 19.5
7. Wofford 18.5
8. Chattanooga 14.5
9. College of Charleston 11.5
10. Western Carolina 10.5
11. Samford 10
12. The Citadel 9
Germann Cup
(through fall women's sports)
1. Samford 33
2. College of Charleston 29.5
3. Furman 27.5
4. UNCG 26.5
5. Elon 21.5
6. Appalachian State 20.5
7. Davidson 19
Western Carolina 19
9. Georgia Southern 16
10. Wofford 9.5
11. The Citadel 6
12. Chattanooga 4