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Somerset, NJ -- For the tenth time in Northeast Conference (NEC) Commissioner’s Cup history, Sacred Heart has “doubled up.”
Adding to their own conference records, SHU earned the Brenda Weare Commissioner’s Cup for the tenth time and captured its 13th Joan Martin Women’s Commissioner’s Cup in record breaking fashion.
Merrimack repeated as the NEC Men’s Commissioner Cup winner.
The NEC’s Commissioner’s Cup program rewards the all-around performance of an athletic program in NEC sponsored sports.
Sacred Heart piled up 224.90 points to win the Brenda Weare Cup by a comfortable margin for the second consecutive year. Saint Francis U achieved its highest finish since 2019-20, coming in second with 208.22 points. LIU, which won the Cup as recently as 2021-22, posted its fourth straight top-three finish with 204.13 points. Merrimack made it back-to-back fourth place finishes, compiling 200.11 points. In a photo finish for fifth place, CCSU (166.97) edged out FDU (166.90) and Wagner (166.39). Stonehill (147.32) and NEC newcomer Le Moyne (113.87) rounded out the standings.
The Pioneers won NEC Championships in field hockey, women’s basketball, women’s golf and women’s outdoor track & field.. SHU also captured NEC regular season crowns in baseball, women’s basketball, women’s lacrosse and women’s volleyball.
In a nod to its consistency, SHU finished in the top-three in the NEC standings in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s bowling, field hockey, women’s lacrosse, softball and women’s volleyball.
The Pioneers has won at least two of the three Cup legs ten times in the past 16 years and have posted top-three showings in the overall standings in each of the last 18 years. This prolific stretch netted the Pios all of their NEC-record ten Brenda Weare Commissioner Cups.
“The record-breaking accolades are a wonderful way to complete another successful year of SHU Athletics,” said Judy Ann Riccio, SHU’s Director of Athletics. “This is the result of the hard work, dedication and commitment of our student-athletes, coaches and staff. It’s such an honor to be associated with this talented group. I am so appreciative of their contributions in building on the tradition of greatness that is SHU Athletics.”
Sacred Heart shattered the Joan Martin Women’s Commissioner’s Cup scoring record with 158.82 points, surpassing the previous record of 140.85 points set by the Pioneers in 2008-09. The Pioneers finished more than 30 points ahead of Saint Francis U (127.39) with LIU taking the third spot (111.67).
SHU’s 13 Joan Martin Women’s Cups are eight more than any other school.
Just like last year, Merrimack won a close race to secure the Men’s Cup. The Warriors rang up 95.96 points to win narrowly over LIU (92.46) and Sacred Heart (86.08).
Merrimack recorded top-three regular season finishes in baseball, men’s basketball and football. The Warriors were the co-regular season champion in men’s hoops and advanced to the NEC final. MC also secured a runner-up finish at the men’s cross country championship and placed third at the outdoor track and field championships.
“We are so proud of the collective success of our teams that resulted in this award; it is the product of the combined efforts of so many talented coaches, and truly outstanding student athletes,” said Merrimack Vice President and Director of Athletic Jeremy Gibson.
LIU, which swept all three Cup honors in 2021-22, has now finished in the top-three in each of the Cup competitions for four straight years.
With its third-place overall finish, Saint Francis U has achieved a top-three placement in 11 of the last 13 years.
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.
2023-24 Brenda Weare Commissioner's Cup Standings
| Sport |
CCSU |
FDU |
LEM |
LIU |
MC |
SHU |
SFU |
STO |
WC |
| M. Cross Country |
14 |
3 |
4.38 |
7.13 |
12.63 |
8.5 |
5.75 |
11.25 |
9.88 |
| W. Cross Country |
12.63 |
3 |
4.38 |
5.75 |
7.13 |
9.88 |
11.25 |
14 |
8.5 |
| Field Hockey |
|
|
|
5.36 |
3 |
12.29 |
12.43 |
5.36 |
9.29 |
| Women's Soccer |
15.35 |
12.35 |
4.1 |
6.3 |
14 |
9.6 |
7.4 |
5.2 |
8.5 |
| Men's Soccer |
5.07 |
11.25 |
7.13 |
15.63 |
8.5 |
9.88 |
14 |
5.07 |
|
| Women's Volleyball |
6.14 |
13.22 |
3 |
12.29 |
7.71 |
13.22 |
10.86 |
4.57 |
|
| Football |
3 |
|
|
10.07 |
10.07 |
4.57 |
10.07 |
10.07 |
6.14 |
| Women's Swimming |
14 |
|
3 |
7.13 |
4.38 |
8.5 |
9.88 |
5.75 |
11.25 |
| Men’s Swimming |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| M. Indoor Track |
12.63 |
5.75 |
3 |
4.38 |
9.88 |
7.13 |
8.5 |
11.25 |
14 |
| W. Indoor Track |
14 |
4.38 |
3 |
5.75 |
7.13 |
12.63 |
9.88 |
8.5 |
11.25 |
| Men's Basketball |
13.32 |
9.19 |
9.19 |
5.75 |
13.32 |
11.25 |
4.38 |
3 |
10.13 |
| Women's Basketball |
8.5 |
11.25 |
12.63 |
7.13 |
9.88 |
17 |
4.38 |
4.38 |
4.38 |
| Women's Bowling |
|
10.08 |
|
3 |
10.08 |
12.43 |
7.71 |
|
4.57 |
| Men's Tennis |
|
10.57 |
10.57 |
6.44 |
6.44 |
6.44 |
12.63 |
6.44 |
3 |
| Women's Tennis |
|
12.63 |
6.44 |
14 |
6.44 |
10.57 |
10.57 |
6.44 |
6.44 |
| Men's Volleyball |
|
8.5 |
|
10.33 |
6.67 |
4.83 |
14 |
|
|
| Women's Golf |
|
11.5 |
4 |
11.5 |
10 |
14 |
6 |
8.5 |
5 |
| Men's Golf |
|
7.4 |
8.5 |
12.35 |
5.2 |
12.35 |
3 |
|
6.3 |
| Women's Lacrosse |
5.2 |
5.2 |
11.8 |
16.45 |
7.4 |
13.45 |
10.15 |
10.15 |
8.5 |
| M.Outdoor Track |
14 |
5.75 |
3 |
4.38 |
11.25 |
7.13 |
8.5 |
9.88 |
12.63 |
| W.Outdoor Track |
11.25 |
5.75 |
3 |
4.38 |
8.5 |
14 |
9.88 |
7.13 |
12.63 |
| Softball |
9.88 |
7.13 |
5.75 |
12.63 |
8.5 |
11.25 |
17 |
4.38 |
3 |
| Baseball |
8 |
9 |
7 |
16 |
12 |
14 |
|
6 |
11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Total |
166.97 |
166.9 |
113.87 |
204.13 |
200.11 |
244.9 |
208.22 |
147.32 |
166.39 |
| Men |
70.02 |
70.41 |
52.77 |
92.46 |
95.96 |
86.08 |
80.83 |
62.96 |
73.08 |
| Women |
96.95 |
96.49 |
61.1 |
111.67 |
104.15 |
158.82 |
127.39 |
84.36 |
93.31 |
|
CCSU |
FDU |
LEM |
LIU |
MC |
SHU |
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 43rd season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of nine institutions of higher learning located throughout five states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Boston (#9). Hartford/New Haven (#34) and Syracuse (#85). 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, FDU, Le Moyne, LIU, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.