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Somerset, NJ -- Sacred Heart got back to doing what it does best: winning Brenda Weare Commissioner’s Cups.
The Pioneers ended LIU’s two-year reign in 2022-23, and in the process, claimed the prestigious award for the ninth time, extending their own Northeast Conference (NEC) record. The Cup rewards the all-around performance of an athletic program in NEC sponsored sports.
Sacred Heart wasn’t done there. The Pios also won their 12th Joan Martin Women’s Commissioner Cup, again adding to their own conference record.
Merrimack became a first-time winner, capturing the NEC Men’s Commissioner Cup in just its fourth year as a DI and NEC member.
Sacred Heart stockpiled 224.02 points to win the Brenda Weare Cup with room to spare. After securing the award in each of the last two years, LIU posted a runner-up finish with 214.89 points. Saint Francis U took third (212.00) and Merrimack finished fourth (201.37). It marked the first time that more than two institutions finished with at least 200 points in the annual competition.
The Pioneers won NEC Championships in women’s basketball, women’s bowling, women’s golf and women’s lacrosse. SHU also captured NEC regular season crowns in women’s volleyball and women’s lacrosse.
In a nod to its consistency, SHU finished in the top-four in the NEC standings and/or at NEC Championships in 14 different sports.
Sacred Heart has now finished in the top-three in the overall standings in each of the last 17 years, a prolific stretch that garnered the Pioneers all of their NEC record nine Brenda Weare Commissioner Cups. The Pioneers have also won at least two of the three Cup legs nine times in the last 15 years.
“It is a tremendous honor to earn these two cups,” said Judy Ann Riccio, SHU’s Director of Athletics. “These awards are a testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment of our student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff. I am thrilled to be associated with this talented group and extend my heartfelt thanks for their contributions in continuing to build on the tradition of greatness that is SHU Athletics.”
Fresh off sweeping all three Cup awards a year ago, LIU not only finished second in the overall standings, but the Sharks also took second in the Joan Martin Cup and a close third in the Men’s Cup.
With its third place showing, Saint Francis U jumped three spots from a year ago and has now posted a top-three finish in ten of the last 12 years.
Merrimack was the biggest mover from last season. With a school record 201.37 points, the Warriors jumped five spots to fourth place, marking the program’s best showing since joining the NEC in 2019-20.
FDU ended the year in fifth (180.25), followed by Wagner (175.07), CCSU (163.49), NEC newcomer Stonehill (115.07) and St. Francis Brooklyn (101.88).
Sacred Heart finished comfortably ahead in the Joan Martin Women’s Cup standings. The Pioneers rolled up 136.47 points to wind up nearly 12 points in front of LIU (124.95). SFU finished third in the women’s rankings, amassing 121.28 points.
SHU’s 12 all-time Joan Martin Women’s Cups are seven more than any other school has won.
In a remarkable turnaround, Merrimack won the Men’s Cup after ranking eighth in the competition just a year ago. The Warriors racked up 95.03 points to beat out SFU (90.72) and LIU (89.94). Merrimack won its first-ever NEC Tournament title this past winter, hoisting the trophy in men’s basketball. The Warriors won the NEC regular season title in men’s hoops, and finished second in football and men’s soccer.
“Finishing first on the men’s side in the Commissioner’s Cup is an outstanding accomplishment and an achievement that all student athletes, coaches and staff should be proud of,” said Jeremy Gibson, Merrimack Director of Athletics.
Weare, who passed away in June, 2009, made a lasting impact in her three years as Commissioner of the NEC. In that time, she introduced a number of new programs aimed at upgrading the caliber of the league’s championship sports and enhancing the opportunities and experiences for the more than 4,000 student-athletes that compete in the conference. In addition to securing Bryant as an NEC full-time member, Weare was instrumental in the NEC gaining automatic access to the NCAA Division I Football Championship beginning in 2010, spearheading the conference’s Strategic Plan and implementing a new leaguewide sportsmanship policy. The Commissioner’s Cup was renamed in her honor in May, 2009.
Joan Martin played an integral part in Monmouth athletics for 33 years, serving as an Associate Athletics Director, Assistant Athletics Director, Senior Woman Administrator and Compliance Director, as well as a coach during her time in West Long Branch. Martin joined the Monmouth staff in as a coach in 1969 and continued until 1982, when she joined the athletic administration. Martin was the women’s basketball coach for 13 years, and mentored the softball (11 years) and field hockey (eight years) programs as well. Along with the NEC Women’s Commissioner Cup bearing her name, she was inducted into the Monmouth University Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.
The Cup was not awarded during the 2019-20 academic year that was interrupted by the cancellation of the spring season.
2022-23 Brenda Weare Commissioner's Cup Standings
| Sport |
CCSU |
FDU |
LIU |
MC |
SHU |
SFBK |
SFU |
STO |
WC |
| M. Cross Country |
12.63 |
3 |
8.5 |
11.25 |
5.75 |
4.38 |
7.13 |
9.88 |
14 |
| W. Cross Country |
14 |
3 |
11.25 |
9.88 |
5.75 |
4.38 |
8.5 |
12.63 |
7.13 |
| Field Hockey |
—— |
——- |
7.71 |
3 |
4.57 |
——- |
9.29 |
6.14 |
12.43 |
| Women's Soccer |
14 |
13.33 |
6.67 |
12.78 |
11.56 |
3 |
9.11 |
7.89 |
4.83 |
| Men's Soccer |
3 |
17 |
7.13 |
12.63 |
9.88 |
11.25 |
8.5 |
5.07 |
—— |
| Women's Volleyball |
6.14 |
13.08 |
10.08 |
4.57 |
14 |
7.71 |
12.43 |
3 |
—— |
| Football |
5.36 |
——- |
10.86 |
12.43 |
8.5 |
——- |
14 |
5.36 |
3 |
| Women's Swimming |
14 |
——- |
11.25 |
4.38 |
7.13 |
5.75 |
8.5 |
3 |
12.63 |
| Men’s Swimming* |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| M. Indoor Track |
12.63 |
9.88 |
6.44 |
8.5 |
6.44 |
3 |
11.25 |
4.38 |
14 |
| W. Indoor Track |
14 |
3 |
11.25 |
7.13 |
9.88 |
4.38 |
8.5 |
5.75 |
12.63 |
| Men's Basketball |
5.07 |
11.94 |
3 |
17 |
7.82 |
5.07 |
9.88 |
11.94 |
7.82 |
| Women's Basketball |
3.00 |
14 |
5.07 |
11.25 |
15.63 |
9.88 |
7.13 |
5.07 |
8.5 |
| Women's Bowling |
——- |
13.22 |
6.14 |
10.86 |
12.29 |
4.57 |
7.71 |
——- |
3 |
| Men's Tennis |
——- |
12.17 |
9.42 |
4.83 |
9.42 |
14.00 |
4.83 |
——- |
4.83 |
| Women's Tennis |
——- |
9.42 |
14.00 |
4.83 |
12.17 |
9.42 |
4.83 |
——- |
4.83 |
| Men's Volleyball |
——- |
5.36 |
13.86 |
5.36 |
9.29 |
7.71 |
14.00 |
——- |
——- |
| Women's Golf |
——- |
10.70 |
8.50 |
9.60 |
14.00 |
——- |
7.40 |
4.10 |
6.30 |
| Men's Golf |
——- |
7.13 |
14.00 |
5.75 |
11.25 |
——- |
9.88 |
——- |
8.50 |
| Women's Lacrosse |
5.75 |
4.38 |
9.88 |
7.13 |
17.00 |
——- |
9.88 |
9.88 |
12.63 |
| M.Outdoor Track |
12.63 |
5.75 |
7.13 |
9.88 |
8.50 |
4.38 |
11.25 |
3.00 |
14.00 |
| W.Outdoor Track |
12.63 |
4.38 |
8.50 |
11.25 |
7.13 |
3.00 |
14.00 |
9.88 |
5.75 |
| Softball |
11.65 |
7.71 |
14.65 |
9.29 |
5.36 |
——- |
14.00 |
3.00 |
5.36 |
| Baseball |
17.00 |
11.80 |
9.60 |
7.40 |
10.70 |
——- |
——- |
5.20 |
12.90 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Total |
163.49 |
180.25 |
214.89 |
201.37 |
224.02 |
101.88 |
212.00 |
115.17 |
175.07 |
| Men |
68.32 |
84.03 |
89.94 |
95.03 |
87.55 |
49.79 |
90.72 |
44.83 |
79.05 |
| Women |
95.17 |
96.22 |
124.95 |
106.34 |
136.47 |
52.09 |
121.28 |
70.34 |
96.02 |
|
CCSU |
FDU |
LIU |
MC |
SHU |
SFBK |
SFU |
STO |
WC |
* Cup points are not awarded for any sport with fewer than five full-time NEC members
About the Brenda Weare Commissioner’s Cup
The NEC Commissioner’s Cup was instituted during the 1986-87 season with LIU winning the inaugural award. Sacred Heart leads all current NEC schools with nine Cups to its credit. Cup points are awarded in each NEC sponsored sport. For men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s volleyball, football, women’s bowling, softball, women’s lacrosse, and baseball, the final regular season standings are used to determine Cup points. Starting with the 2012-13 season, the Conference began awarding three bonus points to the NEC Tournament champion in those sports. In all other sports, points are awarded based on the finish at NEC Championship events.
About the Northeast Conference
Now in its 42nd season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of nine institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Boston (#9) and Hartford/New Haven (#33). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 24 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 15 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions include Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, LIU, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.