GENERAL
Samford men, women claim Southern Conference all-sports races
Bulldogs sweep Cups for the second straight year
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HILTON HEAD, S.C. – With the completion of the spring seasons of league competition, Samford’s men’s and women’s programs have won the races for the Southern Conference’s all-sport trophies. The winners were be honored at the league’s Honors Reception on Wednesday evening at the Sonesta 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.
Samford’s men won the Commissioner’s Cup for the second time, while the Bulldog women claimed their fourth straight Germann Cup and sixth overall. Combined, Samford claimed six SoCon titles in 2023-24 between men’s and women’s regular-season and tournament titles. The Bulldogs swept the all-sports trophies for the second consecutive year. The last SoCon institution to win both cups was App State in 2013.
Samford’s men’s programs won the outright regular-season title along with the tournament title in men’s basketball. The Bulldogs won the indoor track and field championship for the fifth straight year and claimed the outdoor crown for the fourth straight season. Samford posted second-place finishes in cross country, men’s tennis and baseball, while finishing fifth in football to total 63.5 points toward the Commissioner’s Cup. That was good for a .907 percentage.
Furman finished as the runner-up this year, totaling 55.06 points and an .787 percentage. The Paladins claimed the football regular-season crown and their 11th straight SoCon Cross Country Championship. Furman had third-place finishes in men’s tennis, men’s soccer, indoor and outdoor track & field. The Paladins took fourth in men’s golf.
ETSU, the Commissioner’s Cup winner two seasons ago, finished third this year, finishing with 51.15 points and an .731 percentage. The Bucs won the SoCon men’s golf championship for the fourth straight season and claimed their sixth consecutive men’s tennis tournament championship. ETSU won the regular-season title in men’s soccer and men’s tennis and completed the baseball regular season tied for third.
Chattanooga was fourth with 46.08 points and a .658 percentage. The Mocs finished tied for second in football and men’s basketball regular season standings and took third at the cross country championship. Western Carolina, who was second at the SoCon indoor track & field championship, was fifth with 39.61 points and a .566 percentage. Mercer, the men’s soccer tournament champion, finished with 38.75 points and a .554 percentage to place sixth.
Wofford, who won the Ingles SoCon Baseball Championship, was seventh at .5410, followed by UNCG (.5406), VMI (.467) and The Citadel (.373).
In the Germann Cup race, Samford’s women claimed SoCon titles in indoor and outdoor track & field in 2023-24. It was the ninth straight indoor title and the fifth consecutive outdoor crown for the respective programs. The Bulldogs finished second at the cross country and women’s golf championships. Samford completed the women’s soccer regular season tied for second in women’s soccer, third in softball and fourth in volleyball.
Since joining the SoCon in 2008-09, Samford has finished in the top two of the Germann Cup standings 13 of a possible 15 times and in the top four each year in the league.
ETSU finished second for the second straight year with 54.06 points and an .865 percentage. The Bucs won the regular-season and tournament title in women’s tennis and won the women’s golf championship. ETSU was tied for second in the women’s soccer regular season standings, took fourth place in outdoor track & field, and had fifth place finishes in cross country, indoor track & field and women’s basketball.
Furman was third with 52.86 points and a .755 percentage. The Paladins claimed their 11th straight cross country championship and a second place finish in women’s tennis. Furman was third at the indoor track & field and women’s golf championships and had a fourth-place finish in women’s soccer. The Paladins took fifth in volleyball and outdoor track & field.
Wofford finished fourth for the second straight time, totaling 51.04 points and a .729 percentage. The Terriers won the SoCon Volleyball Championship and finished second at the indoor and outdoor track & field championships. Chattanooga was fifth with 49.22 points with a .703 percentage. The Mocs won the regular season and tournament titles in women’s basketball and softball.
Mercer was sixth with a .670 percentage. The Bears finished second in the regular season volleyball standings and tied for second in women’s basketball. Western Carolina finished seventh with a .579 percentage, highlighted by a regular season a tournament crown in women’s soccer.
UNCG came in eighth with a .482 percentage, with The Citadel (.294), who was the volleyball regular season champion, and VMI (.246) rounding 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 2023-24 academic year will see a winner of the Commissioner’s Cup crowned for the 54th time and the Germann Cup awarded for the 37th 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 (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 six (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. Samford .907
2. Furman .787
3. ETSU .731
4. Chattanooga .658
5. Western Carolina .566
6. Mercer .554
7. Wofford .5410
8. UNCG .5406
9. VMI .467
10. The Citadel .373
Germann Cup
(Women’s athletics – final standings)
1. Samford .865
2. ETSU .772
3. Furman .755
4. Wofford .729
5. Chattanooga .703
6. Mercer .670
7. Western Carolina .579
8. UNCG .482
9. The Citadel .294
10. VMI .246
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.
Samford’s men won the Commissioner’s Cup for the second time, while the Bulldog women claimed their fourth straight Germann Cup and sixth overall. Combined, Samford claimed six SoCon titles in 2023-24 between men’s and women’s regular-season and tournament titles. The Bulldogs swept the all-sports trophies for the second consecutive year. The last SoCon institution to win both cups was App State in 2013.
Samford’s men’s programs won the outright regular-season title along with the tournament title in men’s basketball. The Bulldogs won the indoor track and field championship for the fifth straight year and claimed the outdoor crown for the fourth straight season. Samford posted second-place finishes in cross country, men’s tennis and baseball, while finishing fifth in football to total 63.5 points toward the Commissioner’s Cup. That was good for a .907 percentage.
Furman finished as the runner-up this year, totaling 55.06 points and an .787 percentage. The Paladins claimed the football regular-season crown and their 11th straight SoCon Cross Country Championship. Furman had third-place finishes in men’s tennis, men’s soccer, indoor and outdoor track & field. The Paladins took fourth in men’s golf.
ETSU, the Commissioner’s Cup winner two seasons ago, finished third this year, finishing with 51.15 points and an .731 percentage. The Bucs won the SoCon men’s golf championship for the fourth straight season and claimed their sixth consecutive men’s tennis tournament championship. ETSU won the regular-season title in men’s soccer and men’s tennis and completed the baseball regular season tied for third.
Chattanooga was fourth with 46.08 points and a .658 percentage. The Mocs finished tied for second in football and men’s basketball regular season standings and took third at the cross country championship. Western Carolina, who was second at the SoCon indoor track & field championship, was fifth with 39.61 points and a .566 percentage. Mercer, the men’s soccer tournament champion, finished with 38.75 points and a .554 percentage to place sixth.
Wofford, who won the Ingles SoCon Baseball Championship, was seventh at .5410, followed by UNCG (.5406), VMI (.467) and The Citadel (.373).
In the Germann Cup race, Samford’s women claimed SoCon titles in indoor and outdoor track & field in 2023-24. It was the ninth straight indoor title and the fifth consecutive outdoor crown for the respective programs. The Bulldogs finished second at the cross country and women’s golf championships. Samford completed the women’s soccer regular season tied for second in women’s soccer, third in softball and fourth in volleyball.
Since joining the SoCon in 2008-09, Samford has finished in the top two of the Germann Cup standings 13 of a possible 15 times and in the top four each year in the league.
ETSU finished second for the second straight year with 54.06 points and an .865 percentage. The Bucs won the regular-season and tournament title in women’s tennis and won the women’s golf championship. ETSU was tied for second in the women’s soccer regular season standings, took fourth place in outdoor track & field, and had fifth place finishes in cross country, indoor track & field and women’s basketball.
Furman was third with 52.86 points and a .755 percentage. The Paladins claimed their 11th straight cross country championship and a second place finish in women’s tennis. Furman was third at the indoor track & field and women’s golf championships and had a fourth-place finish in women’s soccer. The Paladins took fifth in volleyball and outdoor track & field.
Wofford finished fourth for the second straight time, totaling 51.04 points and a .729 percentage. The Terriers won the SoCon Volleyball Championship and finished second at the indoor and outdoor track & field championships. Chattanooga was fifth with 49.22 points with a .703 percentage. The Mocs won the regular season and tournament titles in women’s basketball and softball.
Mercer was sixth with a .670 percentage. The Bears finished second in the regular season volleyball standings and tied for second in women’s basketball. Western Carolina finished seventh with a .579 percentage, highlighted by a regular season a tournament crown in women’s soccer.
UNCG came in eighth with a .482 percentage, with The Citadel (.294), who was the volleyball regular season champion, and VMI (.246) rounding 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 2023-24 academic year will see a winner of the Commissioner’s Cup crowned for the 54th time and the Germann Cup awarded for the 37th 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 (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 six (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. Samford .907
2. Furman .787
3. ETSU .731
4. Chattanooga .658
5. Western Carolina .566
6. Mercer .554
7. Wofford .5410
8. UNCG .5406
9. VMI .467
10. The Citadel .373
Germann Cup
(Women’s athletics – final standings)
1. Samford .865
2. ETSU .772
3. Furman .755
4. Wofford .729
5. Chattanooga .703
6. Mercer .670
7. Western Carolina .579
8. UNCG .482
9. The Citadel .294
10. VMI .246