SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman’s men’s and women’s programs continue to sit atop the standings for the Southern Conference all-sport trophies after the completion of the winter seasons.
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, respectively. The scoring system is modeled after the one used in determining the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup. Scoring is conducted on a percentage basis, with only the top seven sports for each school counting toward its season total. The SoCon sponsors 11 men’s sports and nine women’s sports.
Each sport is worth 10 points, with each spot in the standings given equal measure relative to how many schools sponsor that particular sport. For sports that determine a regular-season champion, a two-point bonus is awarded for winning the league tournament. Each school’s total for the year is divided by 70, the maximum number of points possible when counting seven sports, to find its percentage.
Through the completion of six men’s sport seasons this academic year, Furman’s programs have amassed 35.96 total points toward the Commissioner’s Cup, good for a .514 percentage. After winning the men’s soccer and cross country championships in the fall, the Paladins tied for third in the men’s basketball regular-season standings and finished fifth at the indoor track and field championship.
Bolstered by regular-season and tournament titles in men’s basketball and a shared wrestling regular-season title, Chattanooga moved up one spot from the fall standings into second place in the race for the Commissioner’s Cup. The Mocs, who also claimed a share of the football title in the fall, are within striking distance of the Paladins with 34.13 points and a .488 percentage.
ETSU, which finished second in the men’s basketball regular-season standings, also moved up a spot, landing at third with 28.25 points and a .404 percentage. Western Carolina, up two spots from the fall on the strength of its indoor track and field championship, is right behind at 28.00 points and a .400 percentage.
The biggest leap came from VMI, which moved up from eighth to fifth at .349. The Keydets finished third at the men’s indoor track and field championship.
Samford is sixth at .341, getting a runner-up finish at the indoor track and field championship in the winter. UNCG, which won the men’s soccer regular-season title, is seventh at .325, followed by Wofford at .314. The Citadel is ninth at .270, with Mercer rounding out the standings at .226.
The women’s race tightened considerably in the winter. Furman, which swept all three women’s fall tournaments, remains atop the standings but saw its lead shrink from 116 percentage points to just 48. The Paladins currently boast 43.56 total points and a .622 percentage.
Samford, Chattanooga and ETSU moved up one spot each to sit second, third and fourth, respectively. The Bulldogs won the women’s indoor track and field championship and finished third in the women’s basketball regular season to move to 40.17 points and a .574 percentage. Samford also won the women’s soccer regular-season title in the fall.
Chattanooga, which claimed the volleyball regular-season title in the fall, earned a share of the women’s basketball regular-season title and claimed its fourth straight tournament title to push its total to 37.82 points and a .540 percentage. ETSU finished fourth in the basketball standings and third at the indoor track and field meet and has 32.08 points and a .458 percentage.
UNCG follows in fifth at .389, while Western Carolina (.361) moved up a spot to sixth on the strength of a second-place showing at the indoor track and field championship. Mercer, which claimed a share of the women’s basketball regular-season title, follows in seventh at .331, with Wofford (.256), VMI (.137) and The Citadel (.060) in arrears.
The Commissioner’s Cup was inaugurated in 1970 and the Germann Cup was first awarded in 1987. The latter is named for 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.
Six schools have won the Commissioner’s Cup in the 46-year history of the award, including current members Chattanooga (2014-15 and 2004-05), ETSU (1982-83) and Furman (1990-91).
Five schools have won the Germann Cup in its 29-year history. Among current schools, Furman owns a league-best 13, including 12 straight from 1992-2004. Samford has won two (2014-15 and 2009-10) and Chattanooga won in 2007-08.
In last year’s races, Chattanooga edged Mercer by a mere 0.0002 points for the Commissioner’s Cup, while Samford claimed its second Germann Cup.
Commissioner’s Cup (through winter sports)
(Men’s athletics)
1. Furman .514
2. Chattanooga .488
3. ETSU .404
4. Western Carolina .400
5. VMI .349
6. Samford .341
7. UNCG .325
8. Wofford .314
9. The Citadel .270
10. Mercer .226
Germann Cup (through winter sports)
(Women’s athletics)
1. Furman .622
2. Samford .574
3. Chattanooga .540
4. ETSU .458
5. UNCG .389
6. Western Carolina .361
7. Mercer .331
8. Wofford .256
9. VMI .137
10. The Citadel .060
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