Sports

Three-peat

WESTFIELD – Westfield State University athletics made it a three-peat by capturing the 2016-17 Smith Cup, recognizing the best overall athletics program in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, the league formally announced today.
The Owls will retain the trophy for a third consecutive academic year, the first time in school history that has happened.
Westfield has dominated the Smith Cup standings in recent seasons, winning the Cup in seven of the past 11 years. The Owls have won or shared the cup 13 times in the 45 year history of the award.
Westfield State finished the 2016-17 seasons with 116.5 points (72.8 percent) out of a possible 160 points, easily outdistancing runners-up Worcester State, which finished at 105.5 points and 65.9 percent.
“It’s a friendly rivalry between all of our institutions in the league, but all of our athletes, coaches and administrators take great pride in winning the Cup,” said Westfield State Director of Athletics Richard Lenfest, Jr.

Captains from Westfield State’s 2016-17 Smith Cup-winning athletic program receive the Cup at the SAAC banquet earlier this month. (Photo courtesy of Westfield State Sports Information)

Westfield took home the top spot in men’s and women’s cross country, women’s basketball, women’s outdoor track and field and baseball. Owls’ teams also finished second in field hockey, volleyball, women’s soccer, women’s lacrosse and softball to further pad the point total.
“Our student-athletes are to be congratulated for a terrific year across the board in their arenas of competition,” said Lenfest. “Winning the Smith Cup for the third straight year is a great accomplishment for our athletics program and the university. It reflects the institutional commitment in keeping our program competitive in the league and the region. Not only were they competitive on the field, but in the classroom as well,” said Lenfest, noting that the Owls placed the most student athletes on the league’s fall and winter conference All-Academic teams.
The Smith Cup was presented to the Owls’ student-athletes at the Student Athlete Advisory Committee’s Senior and Athletic awards banquet on May 1.
The Smith Cup is awarded annually to the member institution which compiles the most points based on the placement of each of its programs competing in the 15 league championship sports.
The Smith Cup is named in honor of former Massachusetts State College Trustee Howard C. Smith, who in 1970, urged the athletic directors of the eight State institutions to hold a series of meetings to discuss the possibility of forming an intercollegiate conference. In June of 1971, Smith’s dream became a reality as an affirmative agreement was reached and the MASCAC was created.
The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, the nation’s oldest Division III men’s and women’s playing conference, has a rich and storied tradition of competitive success while celebrating excellence in the classroom. MASCAC member schools include Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, MCLA, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Salem State University, Westfield State University and Worcester State University.

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