Dec. 22, 2009
Behind the success of its fall teams, UMass Lowell currently ranks on top of the first edition of the 2009-10 Northeast-10 Conference Presidents' Cup Standings, released Monday.
Northeast-10 Release
For the fall, UMass Lowell compiled 75 points to occupy the top spot for the second straight year, just ahead of NE-10 newcomer Adelphi (72), Stonehill (71.5) and Bentley (70.5).
Southern Connecticut currently sits in fifth with 67.5 points and is followed by Merrimack (56), American International College (55.5), Le Moyne (49.5), New Haven (47.5) and the College of Saint Rose (46).
UMass Lowell finished among the top three NE-10 institutions in five of seven sports in which it competed this fall - a preamble to a spectacular postseason which saw five teams advance to NCAA Tournaments/Championships.
The Presidents' Cup is presented annually to signify overall athletic excellence in the Northeast-10 Conference and is awarded to the institution that compiles the most points based on the placement at the conclusion of the regular season of each of its programs which compete in league championships. Points for men's and women's cross country, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field and men's golf are awarded based on placement in respective conference championships.
Spearheading the effort was the success of the women's and men's cross country teams, each of which finished runner-up at the NE-10 Championship. The men emerged to win the NCAA East Region Championship for the second straight year and place 16th at the NCAA Championship, while the women placed second at the regional and 23rd at the national meet.
Additionally, the women's soccer team enjoyed one of its best-ever seasons, placing third during the regular season with a 10-3-2 clip (12-5-4 overall) and moving on to the NE-10 Tournament semifinal round and the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five years.
Also buoying the River Hawks standing was the effort of the field hockey team, which placed tied-for-third in the regular season (7-3 NE-10, 18-6 overall) and moved on to the NCAA Championship match for the fifth time in seven years, where it fell to four-time champion Bloomsburg (3-2).
Perhaps the biggest story of the fall was the play of the volleyball team, which placed in a tie for third place during the regular season (11-4, 22-10 overall), then moved on to capture its first NE-10 Tournament championship where it defeated Pace (3-1), Southern Connecticut (3-1) and Adelphi in the final (3-2). Despite suffering a 3-0 loss to Bridgeport in the first round, the River Hawks moved on to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time this decade.
Behind the early plaudits of its men's and women's basketball teams, which are currently 5-3 and 6-2, respectively, UMass Lowell looks to remain at the forefront of the Presidents' Cup.
The River Hawks placed fourth in the 2008-09 Presidents' Cup with 138.5 points, just behind Southern Connecticut (139), Stonehill (152.5) and Bentley (165).
