General | 5/8/2017 11:40:00 AM

Wingate Excellence Cup History

Rock Hill, S.C.----For the 11th consecutive year, Wingate University is the winner of the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award, which annually recognizes the athletic department with the highest point total based on cumulative final standings in each of the conference's 18 sports. Wingate piled up 1,413 points in the new point-system, winning by 232 points over second-place Queens.

"Winning the Excellence Cup is the exclamation point on a great year for Wingate's athletics program," Wingate University President Dr. Rhett Brown says. "The athletes, coaches, and staff earned the recognition because of their talent, hard work, and commitment to each other. Our athletic program's sustained success over the last 11 years is a model for all of us at the University.  

Wingate continues its unprecedented run with an 11th straight Excellence Cup victory. Before Wingate's run, the previous record was eight by Elon from 1989-1997. Using the old point system, the Bulldogs accumulated 306.5 points more than the next closest school in the 10-year run. Wingate's 11 all-time Excellence Cups are a league record. The other current 11 SAC schools have combined to win the cup five times.

"We are thrilled and humbled to win the Echols Athletic Excellence Cup again this year," Wingate University Vice-President and Director of Athletics Steve Poston says. "This award is a tribute to the excellent work of our coaches, staff and of course our many outstanding student-athletes who represent our university so well. The South Atlantic Conference is one of the premiere conferences in NCAA Division II. It is always a challenge to successfully compete against so many quality institutions. We appreciate support that we receive from entire Wingate University community. Without it, winning the Echols Cup would not be possible."

Wingate won by 20 or more points in each of the past six years, starting with the 29-point win in 2010-11. The Bulldogs won by 20.5 in 2011-12, while winning by 20 in 2012-13. Wingate accumulated a record 184 points to win by 44 in 2013-14, while collecting 182 points to win by a record 49.5 in 2014-15. Wingate won by 24.5 points last year, before the new point system came into effect this year. Before Wingate's 29-point win, the highest margin of victory was 12.5 set by Elon in 1996-97. Under the old point system, Wingate accumulated 173.5 points this year, winning by 38 points over Queens, the third-highest margin ever.

Excellence Cup points are based on final regular season standings in all conference sports except men's cross country, women's cross country, men's golf, women's golf, men's track & field and women's track & field, where tournament standings are used. The trophy is presented at the SAC Annual Business Meeting at the conclusion of each academic year. The trophy is named in honor of former SAC Commissioner Doug Echols. A new formula began this season, where the champion will always receive 100 points and last place will receive 10 points regardless of the number of schools that sponsor that championship sport. The points earned for all other place finishes varied based on the number of schools that sponsor that particular sport.  

As always, Wingate got off to a strong start in the fall. The men's soccer team went undefeated in the regular season to win the SAC title, then went on to win the NCAA national championship. The Wingate volleyball team won its 11th straight regular season title, adding a 10th tournament championship in 11 years. Wingate football and women's cross country added second-place while women's soccer finished fourth, just a half-game out of the three-way tie for first place.

The women's basketball team finished in second place during the regular season, then won its second straight SAC Tournament title. The men's basketball team overcame a 1-4 start in league play to finish third in the league standings at 16-6.

The women's tennis team won its seventh straight regular season SAC title while pushing their league winning streak to 59 matches. The women's track and field team captured its first-ever SAC championship, while men's track and field, men's tennis, men's lacrosse and women's lacrosse all registered second-place finishes. The men's lacrosse team went on to capture its first-ever SAC tournament title, earning its second NCAA Tournament bid in program history. The women's golf team added a fourth-place finish in the spring.

Queens finished second in the Excellence Cup standings with 1,181 points, followed by Lenoir-Rhyne (1,080), Lincoln Memorial (1,014) and Tusculum (929).

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, consistently ranked as a top 10 "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,200 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 35 minors, 12 career concentrations, nine pre-professional programs, master's degrees in accounting, business, education, physician assistant studies and sport management and doctorates in education, pharmacy and physical therapy.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past 11 years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 88 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate is number one in this millennium with 88 Academic All-America® honorees. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 97 lifetime Academic All-America® picks. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.