May 18, 2005
2004-05 Patriot League Presidents' Cup Release
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CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - The 2004-05 edition of the Patriot League Presidents' Cup has been awarded to the Black Knights of the United States Military Academy, on the strength of five spring championships. The League office made the announcement on Wednesday, and it marks the first time since 1997 that the Cup will not reside in Lewisburg, Pa.
Army finished with 113.25 overall points, the fifth-highest total in the 15-year history of the Presidents' Cup. Bucknell was second with 105.00 points, and Lehigh a close third with 104.50. Navy and American finished fourth and fifth, with 97.50 and 93.50 points, respectively. Rounding out the standings were Colgate (80.75 points), Lafayette (59.25) and Holy Cross (54.75).
Army and Bucknell are the only two schools to ever win the Patriot League Presidents' Cup, which recognizes the athletic department that achieved the most on-field success in a given year. The Bison have won 11 titles, and had won the previous seven prior to this year. This is Army's fourth title. The Black Knights were also Presidents' Cup winners in 1994, '95 and '97.
Breaking it down by gender, Army took home its League-leading eighth men's title with 58.75 points, 3.75 better than Lehigh. On the women's side, the Black Knights shared the trophy with Bucknell. Both schools finished with identical 54.50 point totals, just 2.75 points more than Colgate. The women's championship is the 11th for Bucknell, and eighth in a row. It marks just the second women's title for Army, with the other coming in 1994.
The spring season, in which Army picked up an astonishing 52.50 points, consisted of baseball, softball, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's outdoor track & field, men's golf and women's rowing. The 2004-05 academic year was the first in which women's rowing was offered as a championship sport in the Patriot League. It brings the total number of sponsored sports to 23.
Presidents' Cup points are awarded based on a team's performance in the regular and postseason. In football, the points are awarded on the final regular season standings, while points in cross country, track & field, swimming & diving, golf and rowing are handed out based on the order of finish at the League championship. In team sports with postseason tournaments, points are awarded based on a combination of the League championship tournament and regular season standings.
The sport that proved to be the difference in 2004-05 was men's outdoor track & field. At the championship held on Friday & Saturday, May 6 & 7, Army's victory, coupled with Bucknell's sixth-place finish, broke open what was a neck-and-neck race for the crown.
The Black Knights picked up additional spring championships in baseball, men's tennis, women's tennis and men's golf. Army finished second in softball, men's lacrosse and women's outdoor track & field. The Black Knights do not have women's lacrosse, and do not sponsor a team in the Patriot League for women's rowing.
Bucknell was the team champion in women's outdoor track & field, while the remaining titles went to Navy (men's lacrosse & women's rowing), Lehigh (softball) and Colgate (women's lacrosse).
American held a four-point lead over Lehigh heading into the spring season, but the Eagles were unable to hold on, as AU does not sponsor teams in baseball, softball, men's lacrosse and women's rowing.
Several Patriot League spring sports teams are still competing in the NCAA Tournament. They are: Lehigh softball, Navy men's lacrosse and Army men's golf. The Army baseball team will learn its regional assignment on May 30, and NCAA Track & Field regionals are also on the horizon.
OVERALL STANDINGS
1. Army (19) 113.25
2. Bucknell (23) 105.00
3. Lehigh (23) 104.50
4. Navy (18) 97.50
5. American (18) 93.50
6. Colgate (22) 80.75
7. Lafayette (22) 59.25
8. Holy Cross (21) 54.75