Bucknell University Athletics
Strong Fall Helps Bucknell to Presidents' Cup Lead
12/2/2014 1:35:00 PM | General
LEWISBURG, Pa. – A strong fall season has helped Bucknell jump out to an early lead in the Corvias Patriot League Presidents' Cup standings. The Bison, who have claimed the Presidents' Cup 18 times in 24 years in the Patriot League, are also atop the men's and women's cup standings.
Bolstered by a league tournament title by men's soccer, a regular-season crown for field hockey, a pair of second-place finishes in cross country and football's best showing since 1997, Bucknell holds a seven-point lead on second-place Boston U. in the overall Presidents' Cup standings. With seven of the league's 24 championship seasons complete, the Bison have 48.75 points with the Terriers (41.75) and Navy (40.5) close behind.
This has been one of Bucknell's most successful falls in recent memory with five different programs earning a first- or second-place finish either during the regular season or in tournament competition.
Men's soccer had one of the biggest highlights of the fall as it claimed its fourth Patriot League Tournament title in the last nine years with a 3-2 overtime win at top-seeded Boston U. The fifth-seeded Bison won three games in six days to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
The field hockey squad captured the Patriot League regular-season title for the first time in program history and earned the right to host the conference's postseason tournament. The Bison advanced to the championship game, but fell to a nationally ranked Boston U. squad.
Both Bison cross country squads had tremendous success at the early November Patriot League meet as both officially finished in second place. The women's team tied defending champion Boston U. and both squads initially celebrated co-championships, but later the meet referee declared a tiebreaker must be employed to declare a champion and the Terriers narrowly came out on top. From a Presidents' Cup perspective, however, Bucknell and Boston U. split the first-place points.
One year after finishing in a tie for second place in the final league standings, the Bison football team wrapped up the 2014 campaign all alone in second place for the first time since 1997. Bucknell finished the year with an 8-3 overall record, marking just the fifth time in program history it reached eight victories in a season. The Bison's 4-2 Patriot League mark was their best since 2004.
Bucknell's women's soccer team contributed to the fall success by finishing the year a solid 10-9-2 and advancing to the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament, while the volleyball squad matched where it was predicted to finish in the Patriot League Preseason Poll in a year where no seniors received significant playing time.
The Corvias 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 and volleyball), points are awarded based upon an average of final season standings and Championship finish. For those teams not participating in the Championship, the final regular season standing is used.
2014-15 Patriot League Presidents' Cup Standings
(through Fall 2014 – seven sports)
Overall
1.Bucknell, 48.75 points (7)
2.Boston University, 41.75 (5)
3.Navy, 40.5 (5)
4.Army, 34 (5)
5.Lehigh, 33.75 (7)
6.American, 31 (6)
7.Colgate, 30.25 (7)
8.Holy Cross, 23 (7)
9.Lafayette, 16.5 (7)
10.Loyola, 14 (5)
Men
1.Bucknell, 23 (3)
2.Navy, 18.25 (2)
3.Boston University, 16.5 (2)
4.Army, 14.25 (2)
5.Lehigh, 14.25 (3)
6.American, 12.25 (2)
7.Colgate, 10 (3)
8.Holy Cross, 9 (3)
9.Lafayette, 7.5 (3)
10.Loyola, 5 (2)
Women
1.Bucknell, 25.75 (4)
2.Boston University, 25.25 (3)
3.Navy, 22.25 (3)
4.Colgate, 20.25 (4)
5.Army, 19.75 (3)
6.Lehigh, 19.5 (4)
7.American, 18.75 (4)
8.Holy Cross, 14 (4)
9.Lafayette, 9 (4)
Loyola, 9 (3)
( ) – number of Patriot League sponsored sports played
