1
0
SAVANNAH, Ga. – With the completion of the spring seasons of league competition, Furman’s men’s and women’s programs have won the races for the Southern Conference’s all-sport trophies. The winners were honored at the league’s Honors Reception on Wednesday evening at the JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District in Savannah, Georgia.
This Dins Day, we want to thank the people who made this year so special! To our fans, alumni, and donors, we truly couldn’t have done it without YOU! #BetterTogether // #ALLDIN pic.twitter.com/nrSxxQxrJ1
— Furman Basketball (@FurmanMBB) April 28, 2026
The Commissioner’s and Germann cups are awarded annually to the Southern Conference schools fielding the league’s best all-around men’s and women’s sports programs, respectively. Scoring is conducted on a percentage basis, with only the top seven sports for each school counting toward its season total. The SoCon sponsors 20 total sports, with the league’s three co-ed rifle teams counting toward the Commissioner’s Cup standings and the two women’s rifle teams counting toward the Germann Cup.
Congratulations to our postseason award winners! #itsallhere https://t.co/RyNDzeALyr pic.twitter.com/NQ9wPounZF
— The Southern Conference (@SoConSports) May 27, 2026
Each sport is worth 10 points, with each spot in the standings given equal measure relative to how many schools sponsor that particular sport. For sports that determine a regular-season champion, a two-point bonus is awarded for winning the league tournament. Each school’s total for the year is divided by 70, the maximum number of points possible when counting seven sports, to find its percentage.
Kickoff for Furman's Sept. 5 football game against Tennessee has been set for 3:30 p.m. ET!https://t.co/38IAqbSfa5 pic.twitter.com/Oa0pwzqXZk
— Furman Football (@PaladinFootball) May 27, 2026
The Paladins won the Commissioner’s Cup for the third time, moving up three spots from their fourth-place finish in the standings a year ago. Furman claimed four titles in 2025-26, with those coming in men’s soccer, both the regular season and tournament, along with tournament crowns in cross country and men’s basketball. Furman’s men finished with 60.57 points, which is good for an .865 percentage.
My conversation with @SoConSports Commissioner Michael Cross…
Why should the SoCon be a 2 bid league? What case has @MercerBaseball made for themselves?
Spent the week sideline… SoCon Baseball is legit. ⚾️🤩 pic.twitter.com/WjsXa3MrfT
— Matison Little (@MatisonLittle) May 25, 2026
Mercer followed in second with a total of 55.08 points, which is good for a .787 percentage. The Bears captured outright titles in football and baseball during the school year. Samford followed closely behind with 53.85 points and a .769 percentage. The Bulldogs won the indoor and outdoor track & field championships along with the men’s tennis tournament crown.
2026 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS‼️#BeGreat | #ETSUTough pic.twitter.com/SfKNAtmQed
— ETSU Women's Tennis (@ETSU_WTennis) April 18, 2026
ETSU was fourth, ending the year with 49.97 points and a .714 percentage. The Buccaneers won the regular season titles in men’s basketball and men’s tennis. Western Carolina finished fifth with 46.78 points and a .668 percentage. The Catamounts had second place finishes in football, outdoor track & field and baseball.
Congratulations to @catamounttfxc on winning the Women’s Championship and @samfordxctf for the Men’s Championship! #socontrack #itsallhere pic.twitter.com/N43hZJau8M
— The Southern Conference (@SoConSports) May 12, 2026
Coming in sixth was Chattanooga with 39.64 points and a .566 percentage. The Mocs won the men’s golf championship and had a second-place finish in wrestling. Wofford followed in seventh with 37.63 points and a .538 percentage.
CHAMPIONSHIP VIBES 🏆⚔️
The Citadel cements the program's first @SoConSports baseball title since 2010, knocking off third-seeded Samford behind a 3-1 decision!
Victory in hand, the Bulldogs have officially punched their ticket into the @NCAABaseball Tournament 🎟️👊#jOURney pic.twitter.com/oZnq7WmXzS
— The Citadel Baseball (@CitadelBaseball) May 24, 2026
UNCG (.476) was eighth, The Citadel (.466), who won the baseball tournament title, was ninth and VMI (.369) rounded out the standings.
Big improvements happening at Pepsi Stadium!!!📈 pic.twitter.com/17LxRpi3kb
— Furman Softball (@FurmanSB) May 22, 2026
In the Germann Cup race, Furman won the cross country and women’s golf tournaments along with the regular season crown in women’s tennis. The Paladins also had second-place finish in volleyball. Furman finished with 58.81 points and a .840 percentage, narrowly defeating Samford and ending the Bulldogs’ run of five consecutive Germann Cup victories.
Way to go, Morgan!🥇
5' 6" is tied for the second-best high jump in program history!#RahVaMil pic.twitter.com/XKfQeDOjnh
— VMI T&F / XC (@VMITandF) May 12, 2026
Since joining the league in 2008-09, Samford has finished in the top two of the Germann Cup standings 15 of a possible 17 times and in the top four each year. The Bulldogs took home the regular season and tournament titles in women’s soccer along with an indoor track & field crown. Samford had 58.17 points and a .831 percentage.
Congratulations @MercerBaseball! #itsallhere pic.twitter.com/whSlLXx3L2
— The Southern Conference (@SoConSports) May 16, 2026
ETSU finished third with 54.06 points and a .772 percentage. The Bucs were the outright regular season champions in volleyball, the co-champions in women’s basketball and the conference tournament winners in women’s tennis. Chattanooga came in fourth with 52.99 points and a .757 percentage. The Mocs won a share of the regular season crown in women’s basketball and were second at the women’s golf championship.
LET’S GO SPARTANS! 🥎 https://t.co/pRDOX3PyZJ
— The Southern Conference (@SoConSports) May 15, 2026
Wofford completed the year in fifth with a .702 percentage. Western Carolina (.669), who won the outdoor track & field championship, finished sixth and UNCG (.544), the softball regular season and tournament champion, came in seventh
Terriers advance!@WoffordSoftball x #itsallhere pic.twitter.com/eydj43KxGg
— The Southern Conference (@SoConSports) May 7, 2026
Mercer was eighth with .514. VMI (.263) and The Citadel (.145) rounded out the standings.
𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐒 𝐗 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐒🏆 pic.twitter.com/dnkF5g7uWe
— Chattanooga Men's Golf (@GoMocsMGLF) April 29, 2026
The Commissioner’s Cup was inaugurated in 1970, and the Germann Cup was first awarded in 1987. The latter is named for former SoCon Commissioner Ken Germann, who served as commissioner of the Southern Conference from 1974-86 and spearheaded the effort to introduce women’s athletics to the league.
CHAMPIONS CROWNED. Congratulations @GoMocsMGLF!#itsallhere pic.twitter.com/9muvgx5vFw
— The Southern Conference (@SoConSports) April 30, 2026
The 2025-26 academic year saw a winner of the Commissioner’s Cup crowned for the 56th time and the Germann Cup awarded for the 39th time. The cups were not awarded in 2019-20 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Congrats to our #SoCon women's golf all-conference selections and specialty award winners! https://t.co/j8FpoU33ba#itsallhere pic.twitter.com/rBhW1Eg7zB
— The Southern Conference (@SoConSports) April 28, 2026
Seven schools have won the Commissioner’s Cup in its history, including current members ETSU (2024-25, 2021-22, 2018-19, 2017-18, 2016-17, 2015-16 and 1982-83), Furman (1990-91, 2020-21 and 2025-26), Chattanooga (2014-15 and 2004-05) and Samford (2022-23 and 2023-24).
Congratulations, Paladins! 🎾 @FurmanWTennis x #itsallhere pic.twitter.com/oVQbPLyb0V
— The Southern Conference (@SoConSports) April 11, 2026
Five schools have won the Germann Cup. Among current schools, Furman owns a league-best 18, including 12 straight from 1992-2004 and five of six from 2013-14 to 2018-19. Samford has won seven (2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21, 2014-15 and 2009-10) and Chattanooga won in 2007-08.
From 8 seed to conference champ🏆 Ryan Vigil is the first-ever 8 seed to win a SoCon title.#RahVaMil pic.twitter.com/nEI1a3LPsU
— VMI Wrestling (@VMI_Wrestling) March 11, 2026
Three other conference awards were given during the SoCon’s Honors Reception as well. The winner of the Barrett-Bonner Award, given to the institution that places the highest percentage of its student-athletes on the league’s academic honor roll, was UNC Greensboro. The Citadel was the winner of the D.S. McAlister Sportsmanship Award, and Samford won the Graduation Rate Award.
(Men’s athletics – final standings)
1. Furman .865
2. Mercer .787
3. Samford .768
4. ETSU .714
5. Western Carolina .668
6. Chattanooga .566
7. Wofford .538
8. UNCG .476
9. The Citadel .466
10. VMI .369
Germann Cup
(Women’s athletics – final standings)
1. Furman .840
2. Samford .831
3. ETSU .772
4. Chattanooga .757
5. Wofford .702
6. Western Carolina .669
7. UNCG .544
8. Mercer .514
9. VMI .263
10. The Citadel .145
-www.SoConSports.com
About the Author
