GCU 3-peats as Commissioner's Cup winner

The WAC Commissioner's Cup is establishing roots at Grand Canyon.

For the third consecutive year, GCU claimed the WAC Commissioner's Cup that awards the conference program with the greatest overall success in an academic year. In a 13-team conference, the Lopes u

sed seven championships to claim 66 points and finish 17 points ahead of runner-up Utah Valley. GCU won by 21 and 20.5 points in the previous two years for the largest victory margins since 2013-14.

Six of those Lopes' teams (indoor and outdoor men's track and field, men's and women's swimming, softball and baseball) received the most points for their sports while men's basketball, women's tennis and softball each earned an additional point for winning the conference postseason tournament.

"When it comes to the Commissioner's Cup and any of our championships, I say the same thing and it's true: it's our university and not the athletic department that has earned the WAC Commissioner's Cup," GCU Vice President of Athletics Jamie Boggs said. "We are so thankful to be able to earn it, but it's really the support that we receive around campus.

"There's kind of a feel from the University that, not only do we always want to get better, we always want to win championships. We have the support. We have the community. We have the Havocs. It's all these things that allow us to attract these great coaches."

The Lopes have won the Commissioner's Cup by at least 12 points in each of the past five fully completed athletic years. In 2019-20, GCU finished two points off the lead when only nine sports seasons were completed because of COVID.

The cumulative award gives one to as many as seven points for each sport. With 20 sports sponsored by the WAC, each program's top 15 finishes are counted toward Commissioner's Cup standings. Six points go to the winner, with the possible seven being reached because sports, except golf, that earn an NCAA automatic qualification from a WAC postseason championship are awarded a bonus point. Scoring for soccer, volleyball, football, basketball, tennis, softball and baseball are based on the regular season, while cross country, golf, swimming and diving and track and field are determined by postseason conference meets or tournaments. WAC affiliates are placeholders in the standings.

2022-23 WAC Commissioner's Cup final standings
School	Points
1. GCU	66
2. Utah Valley	49
3. Stephen F. Austin	48.5
4. New Mexico State	39.5
5. Southern Utah	37.5
6. Sam Houston	35.5
7. Seattle U	35
8. California Baptist	34.5
9. UT Arlington	31.5
10. Utah Tech	27.5
11. Abilene Christian	26
12. UT Rio Grande Valley	24
13. Tarleton	21

A sport-by-sport breakdown is available here.

Grand Canyon University Athletics

2022-23 WAC Commissioner's Cup final standings

Related Videos