Liberty Wins 2015-16 Sasser Cup and All-Sports Trophies
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Liberty University has been awarded the Big South Conference’s George F. “Buddy” Sasser Cup Trophy for the 2015-16 athletic season, marking the school’s first Sasser Cup since 2013 and 12th overall -- the most in league history. The Cup was presented to Liberty Thursday evening at the league’s annual Spring Meetings Awards and Hall of Fame Dinner, which was held at The Marriott Resort on Hilton Head Island, S.C.
In 2015-16, Liberty averaged 9.17 Sasser Cup points in 18 championship sports and accumulated a total of 165 points based on its finish in conference championships. The Flames won eight Big South championships in 2015-16 -- two regular-season titles and six tournament crowns. Liberty won the regular-season title in women’s soccer and shared the championship in women’s tennis, while claiming the conference tournament championship in women’s soccer, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, men’s golf and men’s and women’s outdoor track & field.
Coastal Carolina finished second to Liberty this season with an 8.81 average in 18 sports and totaled 158.5 points -- marking the closest Sasser Cup finish (0.36) for the second consecutive year. Campbell was third in the standings (7.99 average), and was followed by High Point (7.73) and Winthrop (7.15). The Camels posted their highest finish since re-joining the Big South Conference five seasons ago, while the Panthers notched their 11th consecutive top four standing. Winthrop recorded a top five finish for the second time in three years.
The Lady Flames claimed the Women’s All-Sports Trophy for the sixth time in seven years and Big South record seventh time overall with its average of 9.58 (86.25 points earned in nine sports), ahead of Coastal Carolina’s 9.03 average (90.25 points earned in 10 sports). Liberty won two regular-season and three tournament titles in women’s competition to capture the Women’s All-Sports Trophy. Campbell was third in the Women’s All-Sports race with its 8.00 average (80 points earned in 10 sports).
The Flames also won the Men’s All-Sports Trophy for the first time since 2011-12 and becomes the first Big South member institution to sweep all three awards three different years. Liberty’s record-tying sixth Men’s All-Sports Trophy was based on its 8.75 average (78.75 points earned in nine sports) as the Flames won three tournament championships in men’s competition this past year. Coastal was second with an average of 8.53 (68.25 in eight sports), followed by Campbell at 7.97 (63.75 points earned in eight sports).
The Sasser Cup Trophy is named for former Big South Commissioner Buddy Sasser and is awarded to the Big South member institution with the most successful year athletically, based on an average points system. Points are awarded for both regular-season and tournament finishes in each of the league’s 19 championships, and the average of the combined total is used to determine the overall point allocation in the respective sport. One bonus point is added to the average total for each Conference Champion/AQ representative, as well as any teams that receive at-large NCAA Championships berths. Teams tied in regular-season or tournament play split the points earned. Each member’s overall point totals are then divided by the number of sports sponsored by that school to determine the average.
The complete listing of the 2015-16 Sasser Cup and All-Sports standings appear below, as well as the annual Sasser Cup champions.
2015-16 Sasser Cup Standings
1. Liberty - 9.17
2. Coastal Carolina - 8.81
3. Campbell - 7.99
4. High Point - 7.73
5. Winthrop - 7.15
6. UNC Asheville - 6.13
7. Charleston Southern - 5.70
8. Radford - 5.64
9. Gardner-Webb - 5.41
10. Longwood - 5.27
11. Presbyterian College - 4.45
2015-16 Women’s All-Sports Award
1. Liberty - 9.58
2. Coastal Carolina - 9.03
3. Campbell - 8.00
4. High Point - 7.72
5. Winthrop - 6.78
6. UNC Asheville - 6.29
7. Charleston Southern - 5.89
8. Longwood - 5.36
9. Radford - 5.08
10. Gardner-Webb - 4.88
11. Presbyterian College - 4.16
2015-16 Men’s All-Sports Award
1. Liberty - 8.75
2. Coastal Carolina - 8.53
3. Campbell - 7.97
4. High Point - 7.75
5. Winthrop - 7.63
6. Radford - 6.58
7. Gardner-Webb - 7.00
8. UNC Asheville - 5.96
9. Charleston Southern - 5.46
10. Longwood - 5.17
11. Presbyterian College - 4.79
Annual Sasser Cup Champions
2015-16 -- Liberty
2014-15 -- Coastal Carolina
2013-14 -- Coastal Carolina
2012-13 -- Liberty
2011-12 -- Liberty
2010-11 -- Liberty
2009-10 -- Liberty
2008-09 -- Liberty
2007-08 -- Liberty
2006-07 -- Coastal Carolina
2005-06 -- Coastal Carolina
2004-05 -- Coastal Carolina
2003-04 -- Coastal Carolina
2002-03 -- Liberty
2001-02 -- Liberty
2000-01 -- Coastal Carolina
1999-00 -- Liberty
1998-99 -- Liberty
1997-98 -- Liberty
1996-97 -- UNC Greensboro
1995-96 -- UNC Greensboro
1994-95 -- UNC Greensboro
1993-94 -- Campbell
1992-93 -- Campbell
1991-92 -- Campbell
1990-91 -- Coastal Carolina
1989-90 -- Coastal Carolina
1988-89 -- Coastal Carolina
1987-88 -- Coastal Carolina
1986-87 -- Winthrop
1985-86 -- Winthrop