UAlbany Takes The Lead In Commissioner’s Cup Standings

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- By winning four America East championships in the winter season, the University at Albany has taken the lead in the 2012-13 Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup standings, announced by the conference office Thursday afternoon. The Commissioner’s Cup annually recognizes the strongest athletic program in America East as determined by a scoring system which rewards a school for success both during the regular season and at championship competition in the conference’s 20 sports. With 12 of the conference’s 20 championships in the books, UAlbany has 236 points and holds a 48-point lead over second-place New Hampshire (188 points) following the winter season. Stony Brook University remained in third place, five points behind UNH, with 183 points, followed by University of Vermont in fourth with 177 points and UMBC in fifth with 167 points. Boston University (138 points), University of Hartford (133), Binghamton University (117) and University of Maine (111) round out the standings. UAlbany, which is in position to claim its second Commissioner’s Cup in school history (2004-05), won conference titles in men’s and women’s basketball, as well as men’s and women’s indoor track & field in addition to a regular-season championship in women’s hoops to gain 118 points during the winter season -- 25 more than any other school. The Great Danes are just the sixth school in league history to win both basketball crowns in the same season and have won eight straight men’s indoor track & field titles. The women’s track & field crown was UAlbany’s third in four years. The Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup is named in honor of the first commissioner of America East. Haskell served as commissioner of the conference from 1987 until his retirement in 1997. The 2012-13 winner will be announced at the conference’s annual awards dinner on June 4. The scoring system for the Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup is as follows: In sports where regular-season round robin competition is conducted, the first-place institution in the final standings receives four points times the total number of teams involved in conference play. The second-place institution receives four less points; third place receives eight less points, and so on. Additionally, the America East (tournament) champion receives two points times the total number of teams participating in the championship. The second-place institution receives two less points; third place receives four less points and so on down to the last-place institution which receives two points. In sports where regular-season round robin competition is not conducted (cross country, tennis, track and field, swimming and diving), the first-place institution at the America East championship receives two points times the total number of teams participating in the championship. The second-place institution receives two less points; third place gets four less points and so on down to the last place team which receives two points. 2012-13 Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup Winter Standings Rank Team Points 1 Albany 236 2 New Hampshire 188 3 Stony Brook 183 4 Vermont 177 5 UMBC 167 6 Boston University 138 7 Hartford 133 8 Binghamton 117 9 Maine 111 America East Conference Release