Mountaineers and Bulldogs Hold Advantage Entering Spring Season
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Appalachian State University's men and Samford University's women hold the leads in the races for the Southern Conference's respective all-sports trophies following the completion of the winter sports season.
After winning the regular season championship in wrestling and placing second in indoor track and field, the Mountaineers have vaulted to the top of the standings. With 54 overall points, ASU has built a sizeable 7.5-point advantage over second-place Davidson entering the spring season.
Davidson jumped up to second spot largely in part to its men's basketball team, which earned the South Division regular season title while also winning the SoCon Tournament in Asheville, N.C. Davidson boasts 46.5 points.
Men's basketball North Division champion UNCG (40 points) is third in the latest Commissioner's Cup standings, outpacing Furman (39), Chattanooga (35.5), Elon (30.5), Wofford (30.5) and Georgia Southern (30), which claimed the fourth through eighth positions, respectively.
The final four spots in the ledger include The Citadel (29), indoor track and field champion Western Carolina (28.5), Samford (26) and College of Charleston (16.5).
In the race for the Germann Cup, the trophy presented to the top all-around women's athletics program, Samford holds an 8.5-point advantage over the nearest competitor. The Bulldogs, who are gunning for their second Germann Cup in three seasons, placed fourth in both basketball and indoor track and field while earning two bonus points for winning the basketball tournament crown.
Appalachian State, last year's winner, gained ground on Samford in the winter by winning indoor track and field and sharing the regular season basketball championship with Davidson. ASU has 44 points.
College of Charleston (41.5) and Furman (39.5) are next in third and fourth place, respectively, followed by Elon (38), Western Carolina (36), UNCG (34.5) and Davidson (31.5). Georgia Southern (29), Chattanooga (18), Wofford (16.5) and The Citadel (8) complete the standings.
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 their 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 winter men's sports)
1. Appalachian State 54
2. Davidson 46.5
3. UNCG 40
4. Furman 39
5. Chattanooga 35.5
6t. Elon 30.5
6t. Wofford 30.5
8. Georgia Southern 30
9. The Citadel 29
10. Western Carolina 28.5
11. Samford 26
12. College of Charleston 16.5
Germann Cup
(through winter women's sports)
1. Samford 52.5
2. Appalachian State 44
3. College of Charleston 41.5
4. Furman 39.5
5. Elon 38
6. Western Carolina 36
7. UNCG 34.5
8. Davidson 31.5
9. Georgia Southern 29
10. Chattanooga 18
11. Wofford 16.5
12. The Citadel 8