June 13, 2011

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Utah Valley University is the winner of the Great West Conference Commissioner's Cup for the second consecutive year. The Wolverines won the inaugural award with a total of 80.5 points and tallied the same total of 80.5 points this year. The award is given to the institution that performed best overall in GWC-sponsored sports.

The order of finish of the seven schools competing for the GWC Commissioner's Cup also remained the same as last year with some fluxuation in the point totals. As it did last year, UVU won six Great West championships in 2010-11. Those GWC titles won by the Wolverines included men's and women's cross country, men's basketball, baseball, and men's and women's outdoor track and field. In addition, UVU was the runner-up in volleyball and men's and women's indoor track and field.

North Dakota finished in second place in the standings with 68 points, while South Dakota garnered 63.5 points for third place.

The Fighting Sioux won the title in volleyball and finished second in women's soccer, women's tennis and softball. South Dakota claimed the men's and women's indoor track and field championships and finished second in women's basketball and men's and women's outdoor track.

"I congratulate Utah Valley on its second consecutive Great West Conference Commissioner's Cup," said Commissioner Ed Grom. "Athletic Director Mike Jacobsen has developed quite an athletic program, and he expected the Wolverines to be successful at the Division I level. What I appreciate about UVU is their loyalty to the Great West and their commitment to a very well-rounded program. Each of their sports have performed extremely well in league play, and I don't see them slowing down at all."

Houston Baptist ranked fourth with 58.5 points. The Huskies won titles in women's soccer, women's golf and softball.

After finishing as the runner-up in women's cross country and women's golf, the Broncs of Texas-Pan American tallied 46.5 points for fifth place.

NJIT and Chicago State rounded out the rankings finishing sixth and seventh, respectively.

The Highlanders, who tallied 32.5 points, won the women's tennis championship and finished as the runner-up in men's basketball, while Chicago State claimed the women's basketball title and earned 25 points in the standings.

The GWC Commissioner's Cup is given each year to the Great West member which accumulates the most points in relationship to placement in conference-sponsored championships for its combined men's and women's athletic programs.

"In our second full year of the conference, I see every athletic program improving from one year to the next," concluded Grom. "I see this Commissioner's Cup competition getting closer and closer each year.

GWC Commissioner's Cup

2010-11 Final Standings

1. Utah Valley               80.5 points

2. North Dakota            68.0 points

3. South Dakota           63.5 points

4. Houston Baptist        58.5 points

5. Texas-Pan American 46.5 points

6. NJIT                        32.5 points

7. Chicago State           25.0 points