Appalachian State, College of Charleston Win All-Sports Cups
ASU Claims Commissioner’s Cup While CofC Earns Germann Cup
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Appalachian State’s men and College of Charleston’s women have won the Southern Conference’s Commissioner’s Cup and the Germann Cup, respectively, following the completion of the 2008-09 athletics season.
Appalachian State claimed the Commissioner’s Cup title for the fourth consecutive season and the 29th time overall in the past 32 years. The Mountaineers claimed regular season championships in three of the 10 SoCon-sponsored men’s sports in 2008-09, while finishing in second place in two other sports. ASU was the league champion in football, cross country and indoor track and field. In total, Appalachian posted 87.5 points in the league’s annual all-sports competition, finishing 17 points ahead of the second-place school, Chattanooga (70.5).
The Mocs, which claimed regular season and tournament titles in both basketball and wrestling to go along with a golf championship, edged Furman (69) in the standings. The third-place Paladins, which won both regular season and tournament titles in tennis, placed in the top four in five of nine sports. Western Carolina (63), Elon (62), Davidson (60) and The Citadel (60) were separated by just three points as WCU won the outdoor track and field championship, Elon won the baseball regular season title, Davidson was the South Division champion in basketball and The Citadel had four third-place finishes.
UNC Greensboro (56.5), Georgia Southern (53), and Samford (52.5) filled the eighth through tenth spots while Wofford (51.5), College of Charleston (38.5) and associate member VMI (7) completed the standings.
College of Charleston won a closely-contested race for the Germann Cup, claiming the award for excellence in women’s athletics for the second time in school history. The Cougars tallied 78 total points thanks to a division title in volleyball and a tournament championship in tennis. Charleston narrowly edged 2007-08 champion Chattanooga (77), which won championships in cross country, basketball (regular season) and softball (regular season and tournament).
In third place was SoCon newcomer Samford, which compiled 76 points in its inaugural season in the league. The Bulldogs won a division title in volleyball to go along with second-place finishes in cross country and basketball. Following Samford was Furman (73), which took home the volleyball and golf tournament titles along with the regular season tennis championship.
Western Carolina (68.5) finished in fifth place while Appalachian State (64.5) was sixth and UNC Greensboro (61) seventh. Following the Spartans were Georgia Southern (58) in eighth place and Elon (56) in ninth. The final three schools were Davidson (45.5), Wofford (22) and The Citadel (15.5).
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 its 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 now won the Commissioner’s Cup 29 times since entering the SoCon in 1971, earning 16 of the last 17 trophies. Chattanooga won the award in 2004-05.
College of Charleston is one of just four schools to ever win the Germann Cup, joining Appalachian State, Chattanooga and Furman.
Commissioner’s Cup
1. Appalachian State 87.5
2. Chattanooga 70.5
3. Furman 69
4. Western Carolina 63
5. Elon 62
6t. Davidson 60
6t. The Citadel 60
8. UNC Greensboro 56.5
9. Georgia Southern 53
10. Samford 52.5
11. Wofford 51.5
12. College of Charleston 38.5
13. VMI 7
Germann Cup
1. College of Charleston 78
2. Chattanooga 77
3. Samford 76
4. Furman 73
5 Western Carolina 68.5
6. Appalachian State 64.5
7. UNC Greensboro 61
8. Georgia Southern 58
9. Elon 56
10. Davidson 45.5
11. Wofford 22
12. The Citadel 15.5