Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Edges Navy to Capture 18th Patriot League Presidents' Cup
5/20/2013 8:00:00 AM | General
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Patriot League Presidents' Cup is returning to Bucknell. The Bison edged out 2011-12 champion Navy by 0.5 points in the closest race in league history to earn its 18th Presidents' Cup in the 23-year history of the conference. Bucknell last won the Cup in 2010-11, concluding a string of six consecutive all-sports trophies for the Bison.
In the overall Presidents' Cup standings, Bucknell finished with 120.25 points, its highest total since 2009-10. Navy was second with 119.75, while Lehigh was third with 107.75. Army (99.25 points), Colgate (81), Holy Cross (66), Lafayette (65.5) and American (58.25) rounded out the list.
Bucknell and Navy entered the spring season tied for first in the Presidents' Cup standings. It was a total effort for the Bison to gain the half-point edge on the Mids this spring. Some of the highlights included men's and women's track and field sweeping their championships, men's lacrosse finishing as the No. 2 seed and making a championship game appearance and runner-up showings by women's rowing and women's golf, which hosted the inaugural Patriot League Championship at the Bucknell Golf Club.
Bucknell became the first school since 1991-92, and just the second in league history, to capture the overall points trophy without winning either the men's or women's titles. The Bison were second to Lehigh on the men's side by just one point, while Bucknell was runner-up in the women's race to Navy by seven points.
Overall, Bucknell posted five team titles in 2012-13. The women's track and field program swept the indoor and outdoor meets, while the men's team captured the outdoor crown. Men's basketball won its second Patriot League title in three years. Additionally, the men's water polo squad collected its first Collegiate Water Polo Association Southern Division championship.
The previous closest Presidents' Cup race was 1991-92 when Bucknell nipped Lehigh by 1.5 points to claim the overall title.
The Patriot League Presidents' Cup is awarded to the member institution with the highest cumulative sports point total for their Patriot League standings in sponsored men and women's sports. Points are awarded based upon a combination of an institution's regular-season and tournament finishes in each sport. If there is no Patriot League Championship tournament (football), points are awarded based upon final regular-season standings. If there is no regular season competition and the champion is determined by a Patriot League Championship (cross country, golf, rowing, swimming and diving, track and field), points are awarded based upon final tournament standings. If all teams compete in the Patriot League Championship and there is a regular-season competition (basketball, tennis), points are awarded based on an average of final regular-season standings and Championship finish. If all teams do not participate in the Patriot League Championship and there is a regular-season competition (baseball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, volleyball), points are awarded based upon an average of final regular-season standings and Championship finish. For those teams not participating in the Championship, the final regular-season standing is used.
Bucknell has had tremendous success within the Patriot League. The Bison claimed the first three Patriot League President's Cups, a record seven in a row from 1997-98 to 2003-04 and six consecutive from 2005-06 to 2010-11. Bucknell has never been listed below third in the final Presidents' Cup standings.
Even though Patriot League action is complete, there are still a few events left on the 2012-13 Bucknell sports calendar as four members of the men's track and field team are scheduled to compete at this week's NCAA East Preliminaries in Greensboro, N.C., and the women's rowing lightweight eight will race at the IRA National Championship Regatta June 1-2 in Sacramento, Calif.
2012-13 Patriot League Presidents' Cup Final Standings
OVERALL
1. Bucknell, 120.25
2. Navy, 119.75
3. Lehigh, 107.75
4. Army, 99.25
5. Colgate, 81
6. Holy Cross, 66
7. Lafayette, 65.5
8. American, 58.25
MEN
1. Lehigh, 58
4. Navy, 49.5
2. Bucknell, 57
3. Army, 52.75
5. Lafayette, 35
6. Colgate, 32.75
7. American, 27.5
8. Holy Cross, 26.75
WOMEN
1. Navy, 70.25
2. Bucknell, 63.25
3. Lehigh, 49.75
4. Colgate, 48.25
5. Army, 46.5
6. Holy Cross, 39.25
7. American, 30.75
8. Lafayette, 30.5
