WICHITA, Kan. (2023-24 Commissioner's Cup Standings) - Kansas Wesleyan University has won the KCAC Commissioner's Cup for the 2023-24 academic year, the conference office announced Tuesday.
This marks the fourth time the Coyotes have taken home the KCAC Commissioner's Cup in the award's history (dating back to the 2012-13 academic year), and the fourth time in the past five years that Kansas Wesleyan has earned this honor.
"This is a victory achieved by so many in the Coyote family," Miguel Paredes, Director of Athletics at Kansas Wesleyan University, remarked. "From the community of Salina to our alumni, to our faculty and our leadership, including Ken Oliver and President Thompson, countless people have come together to support our programs and cheer them on to victories. Our staff, coaches and trainers are second-to-none, and their tireless dedication and unwavering commitment to our student-athletes are the cornerstones of our success. Each of these groups - and each of these people - are different, but they have come together as one to achieve a remarkable feat. I am proud to share it with each and every one of them."
The Coyotes led the conference with 189 total points, with 67 accumulated in the fall season, 53 picked up in the winter, and 69 accumulated in the spring. Second through fourth place in the standings were only separated by a single point, as Ottawa University and the University of Saint Mary were both tied at 178.5 points. Friends University was right behind the Braves and Spires in the standings, sitting in fourth with 177.5. Evangel University rounded out the top five with 156 points.
"Congratulations to Kansas Wesleyan for winning its fourth KCAC Commissioner's Cup in the last five years!", Ted Breidenthal, commissioner of the Kansas Collegiate Athetic Conference, stated. "The Coyotes have developed a successful broad-based athletics program with character, high expectations and outstanding leadership. Congratulations to all the coaches and student-athletes who have thrived while building a strong culture of excellence."
Kansas Wesleyan found success in a variety of sports throughout the fall, winter, and spring seasons.
- Fall: The Coyotes led the Commissioner's Cup standings following the fall season after several teams experienced success in that season, securing at least nine points in all six fall sports that factor into the Commissioner's Cup standings. Kansas Wesleyan finished in the top three at both the Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships, then had the following finishes in the final regular season standings:
- Volleyball: Tied for 1st
- Men's Soccer: 3rd
- Football: Tied for 3rd best overall conference record
- Women's Soccer: 6th
- Winter: The Coyotes had a solid winter, but trailed the University of Saint Mary by four points in the Commissioner's Cup standings after the winter sports season. Highlights from the fall for the Coyotes include:
- Winning the KCAC Competitive Dance Championship
- Tied for 2nd in the Men's Basketball regular season standings
- Tied for 4th in the Women's Basketball regular season standings
- Finishing 4th at the KCAC Competitive Cheer Championshp
- 3rd (Men) and 7th (Women) Place Finishes at the KCAC Indoor Track & Field Championships
- Spring: A strong spring sports season was enough for the Coyotes to overtake the Spires and earn another KCAC Commissioner's Cup. Highlights from the spring include:
- Winning the KCAC Women's Golf Championships
- 1st in the Baseball regular season standings
- Finishing 2nd in the KCAC Men's Golf Championship
- 4th Place for the Coyote Men's Track & Field team at the KCAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships
- 5th Place finish in Men's Tennis regular season standings
2023-24 KCAC Commissioner's Cup Final Standings (Season-by-Season Breakdown)
Kansas Wesleyan University (189)
Ottawa University (178.5)
University of Saint Mary (178.5)
Friends University (177.5)
Evangel University (156.5)
Tabor College (138.5)
Bethel College (114.5)
Oklahoma Wesleyan University (110.5)
McPherson College (108.5)
Sterling College (79.5)
York University (79)
Bethany College (78)
Southwestern College (76.5)
Avila University (46)
About the Commissioner's Cup
In an effort to further recognize the achievements of its student-athletes and member institutions, the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference developed an award for the institution that performs the greatest over the fall, winter, and spring athletic seasons. The KCAC Commissioner's Cup will be awarded annually as a symbol of excellence in athletics representing 21 championships. Member institutions can earn points for their finish of each varsity team in those 21 officially recognized conference sports.
Points are assigned based on regular-season finish for men's and women's soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, and men's and women's tennis. In football, points are assigned based on overall conference record in the regular season. In competitive cheer, competitive dance, cross country, men's wrestling, indoor track & field, men's and women's golf, and outdoor track & field, the conference championship meet results will determine point values. To be a conference sport there must be six member institutions competing in that sport at the varsity level.
Teams who finish in first place will be awarded a maximum number of points equivalent to the total number of teams competing in that respective sport. Point tallies will continue in reverse order until the last place team has been awarded its corresponding point value (i.e. if a sport only has seven teams, point values will be given from the maximum 7 to 1). When two or more teams tie for final placing in the conference standings, each team will be awarded the average of the respective placing. For example, if three teams tied for second place in a sport with 11 teams, those three teams will be given the score of nine points because those three teams are occupying the second (10 points), third (9 points) and fourth (8 points) positions in the standings. The sum of those three positions (27 points) divided by the three teams yields an average score of nine points for each of the teams.
Previous Winners:
2012-13: Tabor College
2013-14: Ottawa University
2014-15: Friends University
2015-16: Friends University
2016-17: Tabor College
2017-18: Friends University
2018-19: Friends University
2019-20: Kansas Wesleyan University
2020-21: Kansas Wesleyan University
2021-22: Friends University
2022-23: Kansas Wesleyan University