ETSU men, Samford women claim Southern Conference all-sports races

HILTON HEAD, S.C. – With the completion of the spring seasons of league competition, ETSU’s men’s and Samford’s women’s programs have won the races for the Southern Conference’s all-sport trophies. The winners were honored at the league’s Honors Reception on Wednesday evening at the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

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. Scoring is conducted on a percentage basis, with only the top seven sports for each school counting toward its season total. The SoCon sponsors 20 total sports, with the league’s three co-ed rifle teams counting toward the Commissioner’s Cup standings and the two women’s rifle teams counting toward the Germann Cup.

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.

The Buccaneers men won the Commissioner’s Cup for the seventh time, while Bulldogs women claimed their fifth straight and seventh overall. ETSU claimed four titles in 2024-25, with those coming in the regular season for men’s soccer and baseball along with tournament crowns in men’s golf and baseball. Samford won the women’s indoor and outdoor track & field championships as well as the women’s soccer tournament.

ETSU’s men finished with a total of 60.89 points, which is good for an .870 percentage. Samford followed closely behind with 59.56 points and a .851 percentage. The Bulldogs claimed tournament titles in indoor and outdoor track & field and men’s tennis.

Western Carolina was third, ending the year with 49.71 points and an .710 percentage. The Catamounts were led by second-place finishes in football and cross country. Furman was fourth with 47.64 points and a .681 percentage. The Paladins took home the cross country title and the men’s soccer tournament crown.

Coming in fifth was UNCG with 43.85 points and a .626 percentage. The Spartans were the regular season co-champion with ETSU in men’s soccer. Chattanooga was sixth with 41.83 points and a .598 percentage, fueled by a regular season title in men’s basketball.

Mercer was seventh at .546, The Citadel came in eighth (.451), followed by VMI (.412) and Wofford (.399).

In the Germann Cup race, Samford’s indoor and outdoor track & field crowns were the 10th and sixth consecutive wins, respectively. The women’s soccer championship was the fourth in six seasons. The Bulldogs finished with 59.17 points and a .845 percentage.

Since joining the SoCon in 2008-09, Samford has finished in the top two of the Germann Cup standings 14 of a possible 16 times and in the top four each year in the league.

Furman finished second with 57.44 points and an .821 percentage. The Paladins won the cross country and women’s golf championships, along with regular season and tournament crowns in women’s tennis. Furman also had third place finishes in women’s soccer and indoor track & field.

Wofford was third with 50.76 points and a .725 percentage. The Terriers won the SoCon Volleyball Championship for the second straight season this year. Chattanooga came in fourth with 50.39 points and a .720 percentage. The Mocs won the regular season title in softball.

ETSU completed the year in fifth with a .678 percentage. Mercer (.675), who was the regular season champion in volleyball, was sixth and Western Carolina (.631), the women’s soccer regular season champ, finished seventh.

UNCG was eighth with .547, following women’s basketball regular season and tournament championships. VMI (.250) and The Citadel (.238) rounded out the standings.

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.

The 2024-25 academic year saw a winner of the Commissioner’s Cup crowned for the 55th time and the Germann Cup awarded for the 38th time. The cups were not awarded in 2019-20 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Seven schools have won the Commissioner’s Cup in its history, including current members ETSU (2024-25, 2021-22, 2018-19, 2017-18, 2016-17, 2015-16 and 1982-83), Furman (2020-21 and 1990-91), Chattanooga (2014-15 and 2004-05) and Samford (2022-23 and 2023-24).

Five schools have won the Germann Cup. Among current schools, Furman owns a league-best 17, including 12 straight from 1992-2004 and five of six from 2013-14 to 2018-19. Samford has won seven (2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21, 2014-15 and 2009-10) and Chattanooga won in 2007-08.

Commissioner's Cup

(Men’s athletics – final standings)

1. ETSU                       .870

2. Samford                    .851

3. Western Carolina       .710

4. Furman                     .681

5. UNCG                      .626

6. Chattanooga             .598

7. Mercer                      .546

8. The Citadel               .451

9. VMI                          .412

10. Wofford                   .399

Germann Cup

(Women’s athletics – final standings)

1. Samford                    .845

2. Furman                     .821

3. Wofford                    .725

4. Chattanooga             .720

5. ETSU                       .678

6. Mercer                      .675

7. Western Carolina       .631

8. UNCG                      .547

9. VMI                          .250

10. The Citadel             .238