St. Mary’s College of Maryland won the 2022-23 United East Presidents’ Cup in a stunning victory. This achievement comes in only their second year as a member of the United East Conference. The Seahawks secured the coveted cup by edging out SUNY Morrisville by a mere 0.31 points.
St. Mary’s triumph was announced during the President’s Council on Tuesday, May 23. Crystal Gibson, the Director of Athletics & Recreation, expressed her elation at the college’s accomplishment: “What a tremendous honor it is for St. Mary’s and the athletic department to earn the United East Presidents’ Cup. This is a testament to the continuous hard work and dedication of our coaching staff, support staff, and of course, our student-athletes sacrifices to represent the institution in the highest regard.”
The Presidents’ Cup, awarded annually by the conference, recognizes outstanding athletic achievements among its member institutions. It utilizes a scoring system that rewards schools for success during regular and postseason competitions. St. Mary’s College had been the runner-up in the previous season, making this victory even more meaningful in their second year in the league.
With 14 championships sponsored by the conference, the Seahawks had the opportunity to compete in 12 of them. St. Mary’s College emerged triumphant in five different sports: women’s cross country, men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, men’s tennis, and women’s tennis. They also participated in the postseason for all but three of the 12 tournament championships they were eligible for.
In addition to their five tournament championship titles, St. Mary’s College claimed five regular-season championship crowns in men’s soccer, men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, men’s tennis, and women’s tennis. Their exceptional performance throughout the season propelled them to the top of the Presidents’ Cup standings after the fall season, with an average of 7.80 points. They held a narrow lead of half a point over SUNY Morrisville, who trailed with an average of 7.30 points.
However, St. Mary’s College dropped to the third position overall with an average of 7.43 points, behind Morrisville (7.57) and Lancaster Bible College (7.50). Morrisville claimed the women’s basketball tournament championship, while Lancaster Bible College emerged victorious in the men’s basketball tournament. Penn State Harrisburg secured the third position with an average of 7.08 points, following their league titles in men’s soccer and baseball.
Expressing gratitude, Crystal Gibson added, “We are extremely grateful to be amongst such great peer institutions within the league to compete alongside throughout the year.” St. Mary’s College’s success in the Presidents’ Cup competition speaks to their dedication to excellence and the efforts of their student-athletes.
The United East Conference introduced the Presidents’ Cup in its current format for the second consecutive year. Previously known as the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC), the conference awarded cups in athletic success, academic excellence, community service, and sportsmanship. However, under the new structure, the emphasis is primarily on athletic achievements, while expanding the awards program to include recognition in academics, service, and sportsmanship throughout the academic year.
The final standings for the 2022-23 Presidents’ Cup are as follows:
- St. Mary’s College (7.75)
- SUNY Morrisville (7.44)
- Penn State Harrisburg (7.08)
- Lancaster Bible College (6.23)
- Penn College (5.31)
- Penn State Berks (5.08)