Webster Claims Second Ever SLIAC Commissioner's Cup
It is a mix of the old and new for Webster University in 2021. The school claims its fourth consecutive and 19th overall St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) All-Sports Award but for the first time in school history also takes home the SLIAC Sportsmanship Award. By winning both awards in the same academic year, Webster University also receives the SLIAC Commissioner's Cup, just the second school in conference history to receive the award. The Commissioner's Cup is a traveling trophy and presented to and held by the institution that wins both the All-Sports Trophy and Sportsmanship Award in the same academic year.
Webster won the Team Sportsmanship award in four different sports this year, finishing ranked among the top three in sportsmanship and additional three times. They took home the Team Sportsmanship awards in Women's Cross Country, Men's Tennis, Women's Track and Field, and Men's Basketball. They are just the second school in conference history to take home both the Sportsmanship and All-Sports trophy in the same season, joining Westminster College in 2015-16. First handed out in 2010-11, the SLIAC Sportsmanship Award is presented to the institution that receives the highest combined point total in the voting of the team Sportsmanship Awards.
Webster, which has won 19 of 21 All-Sports awards in SLIAC history, was buoyed by five first-place finishes in the standings this year; finiishing with 131 total points. They finished atop the standings in Men's Soccer, Women's Basketball, and Baseball and added Tournament Titles in Women's Tennis and Men's Golf. More importantly they finished in the top three in 14 of 17 conference sponsored sports. In addition to their titles, the Gorloks finished runners-up in Men's and Women's Cross Country, Indoor Men's Track and Field, Women's Soccer, Outdoor Men's and Women's Track and Field, and Softball.
Greenville University came in second on the standings with 112.5 points, picking up first place finishes in Men's and Women's Cross Country, Indoor Men's and Women's Track and Field, Outdoor Men's and Women's Track and Field, and Volleyball. The Panthers actually won the first five championships handed out this year; Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field, Men's and Women's Cross Country, and Volleyball. This marks the fourth consecutive year the Panthers have finished 2nd in the All-Sports standings.
Westminster made a push late to finish in 3rd place on the All-Sports standings with 83 points. The Blue Jays picked up points from their shared regular season title in Volleyball, adding second-place finishes in both Women's Basketball and Men's Golf.
Fontbonne University placed 4th in the standings with 74.5 points with a pair of regular season titles coming in Women's Soccer and Softball. The Griffins also had 3rd place finishes in Indoor Women's Track and Field, Outdoor Women's Track and Field, and Baseball.
Iowa Wesleyan University had its highest ever finish in the All-Sports standings, totaling 67.5 points. The Tigers best finish was tying for 2nd in Men's Soccer but they added a 3rd place showing in Women's Golf and Indoor Men's Track and Field.
Spalding University finished with 54 points. They recorded a 2nd place finish in Baseball and tied for second in Men's Soccer.
Despite competing in just seven sports this year, Principia College still managed to total 45 points this year. They picked up top points in Men's Tennis and finished 2nd in Indoor Women's Track and Field with 3rd place finishes in Women's Tennis and Outdoor Men's Track and Field.
Eureka College totaled 44.5 points, coming in 8th place on the standings. Their highest finish came in Men's Basketball, where they finished 2nd in the regular season.
Blackburn College tallied 31 points this year, with nine of them coming from a regular season championship by its Men's Basketball team.
Points for the All-Sports trophy are based on the regular season standings except for cross country, golf, tennis, and track and field which are determined based on order of finish at the conference championship.
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