Bucknell University Athletics
Patriot League Presidents' Cup Remains at Bucknell
5/18/2009 8:00:00 AM | General
May 18, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. – A big spring season helped Bucknell pull away in the race for the Patriot League Presidents' Cup, and the Bison have earned the all-sports championship for the 15th time in the 19-year history of the league. It is Bucknell's fourth straight Cup, and its 11th in the last 12 years. The Bison also captured their 12th straight and 15th overall Women's Cup title.
Bucknell entered the spring season with a narrow .25-point lead over Navy, but the spring teams closed it out with a strong showing across the board. The Bison earned Patriot League championships in men's golf, women's rowing and women's outdoor track and field. The men's lacrosse team won the Patriot League regular-season title and made it to the championship game of the conference tournament, thus earning the most Presidents' Cup points in that sport. The women's tennis team also advanced to the tournament final as the No. 2 seed, while the baseball team shared the regular-season title. Men's outdoor track and field finished second at the Patriot League Championships, and women's lacrosse, softball and men's tennis were also Patriot League Tournament participants.
The 56-point spring left Bucknell with 122 total points. That is the second-highest total in program history (126.25 in 2006-07), and it is the fourth-most points in league history. Army, which is the only institution besides Bucknell to win the Presidents' Cup, holds the record with 127 in 1993-94.
“Winning the Presidents' Cup for the 15th time in 19 years in the competitive Patriot League is a significant accomplishment that is reflective of the talent and work ethic of our student-athletes who excel in both academics and athletics," said Bucknell President Brian C. Mitchell. "Our students and coaches have continued a remarkable tradition of success, and all of us at Bucknell are proud of them.”
Navy finished second in the standings for the third year in a row. The Midshipmen accrued 109.25 points, followed by Army (103.75), Colgate (91.75), Lehigh (86.5), Holy Cross (67.5), Lafayette (62.5) and American (62).
“To win the Presidents' Cup in the highly competitive landscape the league is currently experiencing is a wonderful achievement for our student-athletes, coaches and staff,” said director of athletics and recreation John Hardt. “As recently as three weeks ago it appeared as though as many as five institutions had a chance to earn the Cup, and throughout most of the year this was one of the tightest races in recent memory. That Bucknell was able to retain the all-sports title again this year, while also continuing to rank among the national leaders in all of the scholar-athlete measurements, is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved with Bison Athletics.”
In the Women's Cup standings, Bucknell outpaced the field with 65.75 points, its third-highest women's total. Navy was second with 55.5, followed by Colgate (51), Army (47), Lehigh (45), American (35.5), Holy Cross (32.75) and Lafayette (26.25).
The Men's Cup was not decided until the final championship of the year, and the top three programs were separated by only three points. Army edged Bucknell by a meager half-point, with the Black Knights' Patriot League Tournament title in baseball over the weekend providing the winning margin. Army finished with 56.75 points, followed by Bucknell (56.25), Navy (53.75), Lehigh (41.5), Colgate (40.75), Lafayette (36.25), Holy Cross (34.75) and American (26.5).
Presidents' Cup points are awarded based on a team's performance in the regular-season and postseason PL standings. In cross country, football, golf, swimming & diving, track & field and women's rowing, the points are awarded based on the final Patriot League Championship team standings. In team sports with postseason tournaments, such as basketball, field hockey, soccer, lacrosse and volleyball, points are awarded based on the average finish in the league championship tournament and regular-season standings.
While Bucknell did not earn its first league championship until the spring season, consistently strong finishes in the fall and winter helped position the Bison for their 15th Cup title.
After the fall season, Bucknell trailed Colgate by half a point, while the top seven programs were separated by less than nine points. The Bison women's cross country team finished second at the Patriot League Championship. The women's soccer team was second in the regular season, and the field hockey team tied for third, then advanced to the Patriot League Tournament championship match.
Three runner-up finishes in the winter campaign helped Bucknell take that slim points lead, The Bison were second in men's swimming and diving and men's and women's track and field, as well as third in women's swimming and diving.
Bucknell has now won 73 championships since the Patriot League's inception in 1990-91.
Bucknell is a highly-selective, privately endowed liberal arts institution with an enrollment of 3,583 undergraduate students. Bucknell competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the Patriot League and has full membership along with American, Army, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Navy. Recently, 17 Bison programs earned NCAA Public Recognition for having Academic Performance Rates in the top 10 percent nationally in their respective sport. In addition, Bucknell ranks fifth in Division I in the total number of CoSIDA Academic All-America selections, with 117 national Academic All-Americans since 1970.
2008-09 Patriot League Final Presidents' Cup Standings (Through 23 sports)
Overall Standings Men's Standings Women's Standings Institution, Points Institution, Points Institution, Points 1. Bucknell, 122 (23) 1. Army, 56.75 (10) 1. Bucknell, 65.75 (12) 2. Navy, 109.25 (19) 2. Bucknell, 56.25 (11) 2. Navy, 55.5 (9) 3. Army, 103.75 (19) 3. Navy, 53.75 (10) 3. Colgate, 51 (12) 4. Colgate, 91.75 (22) 4. Lehigh, 41.5 (11) 4. Army, 47 (9) 5. Lehigh, 86.5 (23) 5. Colgate, 40.75 (10) 5. Lehigh, 45 (12) 6. Holy Cross, 67.5 (23) 6. Lafayette, 36.25 (11) 6. American, 35.5 (9) 7. Lafayette, 62.5 (22) 7. Holy Cross, 34.75 (11) 7. Holy Cross, 32.75 (12) 8. American, 62 (15) 8. American, 26.5 (6) 8. Lafayette, 26.25 (11)(#) – Number of Patriot League sports (all seasons)
