Appalachian State, Charleston Win All-Sports Titles
Mountaineers Win Commissioner's Cup, Cougars Take Germann
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Appalachian State University's men and College of Charleston's women have won the Southern Conference's respective male and female all-sports trophies for the 2011-12 academic year, it was announced on Wednesday. Appalachian State earned the league's Commissioner's Cup for excellence in men's athletics while College of Charleston was awarded the Germann Cup for the best overall women's athletics program.
Appalachian State (94 points) claimed three SoCon championships this season and finished fourth or higher in eight of the 10 SoCon-sponsored men's sports. The Mountaineers were regular season champions in wrestling and baseball while also winning the outdoor track and field title.
ASU's 27.5-point margin of victory over second-place Samford is the largest margin in the final Commissioner's Cup standings since 2002-03 when the Mountaineers finished 29 points clear of East Tennessee State and Furman.
Samford (66.5) earned its highest finish in the Commissioner's Cup standings in its fourth year in the league. The Bulldogs won the SoCon Baseball Tournament and tied for the regular season crown in tennis.
Furman finished third in the final Commissioner's Cup standings with 65 points, a half point ahead of fourth-place Davidson (64.5). UNCG (60), Chattanooga (59.5), and Wofford (53) finished in the fifth through seventh spots, respectively, while Elon (52), College of Charleston (51.5), Georgia Southern (51), Western Carolina (50.5), and The Citadel (45.5) rounded out the ledger.
In the race for the Germann Cup, the trophy presented to the top all-around women's athletics program, College of Charleston won the crown for the third time in the past eight seasons, matching the wins in 2004-05 and 2008-09. The Cougars won the South Division crown in volleyball as well as the tennis tournament. CofC also finished third or better in golf, soccer, and softball.
Samford, the 2009-10 Germann Cup winner, was narrowly edged out by Charleston, coming up just one point short of the top spot. The Bulldogs sent three women's teams to the NCAA Tournament in 2011-12 by winning postseason tournaments in basketball, soccer, and volleyball.
Appalachian State (78.5) and UNCG (72.5) were next in third and fourth place, respectively, followed by Furman (68), Elon (65), Western Carolina (62.5) and Georgia Southern (56). Chattanooga (52.5), Davidson (36.5), Wofford (24.5) and The Citadel (13) 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 32 times since entering the SoCon in 1971, earning 19 of the last 20 trophies. Chattanooga won the award in 2004-05.
College of Charleston is one of just five schools to ever win the trophy, joining Appalachian State, Furman, Samford and Chattanooga.
Commissioner's Cup
(Men's Athletics)
1. Appalachian State 94
2. Samford 66.5
3. Furman 65
4. Davidson 64.5
5. UNCG 60
6. Chattanooga 59.5
7. Wofford 53
8. Elon 52
9. College of Charleston 51.5
10. Georgia Southern 51
11. Western Carolina 50.5
12. The Citadel 45.5
Germann Cup
(Women's Athletics)
1. College of Charleston 81.5
2. Samford 80.5
3. Appalachian State 78.5
4. UNCG 72.5
5. Furman 68
6. Elon 65
7. Western Carolina 62.5
8. Georgia Southern 56
9. Chattanooga 52.5
10. Davidson 36.5
11. Wofford 24.5
12. The Citadel 13