SMITH CUP
WESTFIELD – If the athletics seasons were a horse race, Westfield State University would hold the lead as the race hit the top of the stretch.
Buoyed by the men’s and women’s basketball teams, which both won the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletics Conference regular-season titles, the Owls have earned 90.17 of a possible 112 points (80.51 percent) to hold a solid lead over Bridgewater (68.33 pct.) and Framingham (58.63 pct.) in the race for the Howard C. Smith Cup, which is presented annually to the best overall athletics program in the MASCAC.
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.
