UNCG finishes second in Commissioner's Cup, fifth in Germann Cup
CHARLESTON, S.C. – After a 2010-11 academic year that saw UNCG turn in competitive showings in virtually every sport, the Spartans finished second in the race for the Commissioner’s Cup and fifth in the extremely tight standings for the Germann Cup, the Southern Conference all-sports trophies for excellence in league competition.
Appalachian State, which won both trophies, will be honored Wednesday at the Southern Conference Honors Dinner in Charleston, S.C.
The Commissioner’s Cup and Germann Cup 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 finishes, with two bonus points going to the team that wins the conference tournament.
UNCG’s second-place finish in the Commissioner’s Cup standings was its second in as many years and matched the Spartans’ best-ever finish, first set in 2006-07. The fifth-place finish in the Germann Cup standings was UNCG’s highest since taking third in 2001-02.
UNCG’s men finished with 78 points, 13 behind Appalachian State and 7.5 ahead of third-place Chattanooga, in the race for the Commissioner’s Cup. The Spartans, who worked their way up from fourth after the fall standings and third after the winter season, finished either first or second in the SoCon in five of their nine men’s sports. UNCG won regular-season and tournament titles in men’s soccer and finished second in men’s cross country, wrestling, men’s golf and baseball. The Spartans were also third in men’s tennis.
Appalachian State, the only school in the league to field teams in all 10 men’s sports the SoCon sponsors, won SoCon titles in football, men’s cross country and men’s indoor and outdoor track and field.
Furman was fourth in the standings with 60 points, followed by Elon and Samford (59), Wofford (58.5), Davidson (57.5), College of Charleston (54.5), Western Carolina (51.5), Georgia Southern (43) and The Citadel (40.5).
The Germann Cup race went down to the wire, with only 1.5 points separating the top five spots and all five of those schools still in contention for the Cup entering the softball tournament, the final women’s event of the season. UNCG finished with 77.5 points for the academic year, while Appalachian State won the Cup with 79 points to complete the school’s sweep of the all-sports trophies. Samford was second with 78.5 points, while College of Charleston and Elon tied for third with 78 each.
UNCG’s women, who led the Germann Cup standings after the fall and were tied for second with Appalachian State after the winter, won regular-season and tournament titles in soccer and were second in women’s tennis. The Spartans also finished second in their division in volleyball and turned in a third-place showing in women’s cross country.
Appalachian State won SoCon championships in women’s basketball and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field and turned in second-place finishes in softball and women’s cross country.
Furman was sixth in the Germann Cup standings with 64 points and was followed by Chattanooga (62), Georgia Southern (52.5), Western Carolina (48.5), Davidson (27.5), Wofford (25.5) and The Citadel (24).
The Commissioner’s Cup was introduced in 1970 and the Germann Cup was first awarded in 1987. The latter is named after 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.
2010-11 Commissioner’s Cup (men’s
athletics)
1. Appalachian
State
91
2.
UNCG
78
3.
Chattanooga
70.5
4.
Furman
60
5t.
Elon
59
5t.
Samford
59
7.
Wofford
58.5
8.
Davidson
57.5
9. College of Charleston 54.5
10. Western
Carolina
51.5
11. Georgia
Southern
43
12. The
Citadel
40.5
2010-11 Germann Cup (women’s
athletics)
1. Appalachian
State
79
2.
Samford
78.5
3t. College of Charleston 78
3t.
Elon
78
5.
UNCG
77.5
6.
Furman
64
7.
Chattanooga
62
8. Georgia
Southern
52.5
9. Western
Carolina
48.5
10.
Davidson
27.5
11.
Wofford
25.5
12. The
Citadel
24
- UNCG -