The University of Montana men and the Sacramento State women have captured the 2011-12 Big Sky Conference All-Sports Trophies. Montana earned its second Men’s All-Sports Trophy in school history, the first since 1970-71. Sacramento State’s women captured the honor for the fourth time in five years.
Sacramento State’s Tatsiana Kapshai helped the Hornets to the women’s tennis title.
Sacramento State’s women edged Northern Colorado by ½ point. The Hornets won the outdoor track and field championship last weekend in Bozeman, Mont., catapulting them past the Bears. Sacramento State finished with 82 points, while Northern Colorado finished with 81.5 The Hornets averaged 10.25 points per sport, just ahead of Northern Colorado at 10.19. Sacramento State picked up 16 points by winning the outdoor track and field championship.
Sacramento State’s 2011-12 season was highlighted by league championships in outdoor track and field, and tennis. The Hornets finished second in golf, indoor track and field, and third in volleyball. Mikolaj Caruk helped Montana to the men’s regular-season tennis title.
Montana’s men finished with 70.5 points, averaging 11.75 points per sport. The Grizzlies won their first regular-season tennis title, won the regular-season basketball championship, and shared the football title.
Points for the All-Sports Trophies are based on team finishes in the regular-season standings for soccer, volleyball, football, basketball and tennis. Points are awarded by virtue of finish in the Big Sky Championship in cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field, and golf.
Montana, winners of the 2010-11 Big Sky Presidents’ Cup, finished first in overall athletic points with an average of 9.32 points per sport. Athletics, however, is just one part of the Presidents’ Cup equation. Academic criteria – including grade point averages, graduation rates, and number of All-Conference performers with grade point averages at or above 3.0 – are used in determining the Presidents’ Cup winner.
The 2011-12 Presidents’ Cup winner will be announced in July after academic data from the second semesters and final quarters are compiled.