Photo by: Les Duggins
USC Upstate posts Top 5 finish in Big South Conference Sasser Cup Standings
6/3/2022 11:00:00 AM | General
Spartan men's programs earn best collective finish in 10 years
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC – Building off the momentum of the best conference cup finish in history in 2020-21, again USC Upstate student-athletes and coaches rose to the challenge in the 2021-22 athletic year to complete another record-breaking campaign. The Big South Conference announced the final rankings for the George F. "Buddy" Sasser Cup Trophy and USC Upstate finished the year with a second straight Top 5 finish, marking the best two-year stretch since moving to Division I, placing 5th of the 12 institutions in the Big South. The Spartans finished 4th of 11 Big South schools a year ago. This milestone encompasses the Spartans two conference memberships since making the move to Division I in 2007-08.
"I'm so proud of our student-athletes, coaches and support staff for another strong finish in the Sasser Cup," said Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Daniel Feig. "After our highest ever conference cup finish a year ago, I'm encouraged that we have backed it up again with another Top 5 finish, despite challenging circumstances. Ending fifth is not our goal, however examining the course of our Division I history, our last two years illustrate how our program overall is stronger than it has ever been as we continue to make our way to the top. Our continued success is a testament to the hard work of the everyone associated with our USC Upstate athletic department led by our over 280 student-athletes."
Since moving to the Big South, USC Upstate has appeared in one other Sasser Cup ranking, 2018-19, placing 7th out of 11. The award was not given during the 2019-20 year due to the cancellation of all spring sports at the on-set of the COVID-19 pandemic. USC Upstate's best finish as a member of the ASUN Conference (2007-2018) came in 2011-12, placing 6th out of the league's then 10 institutions.
The Spartans in 2021-22 were paced by its men's sports programs, finishing 4th in the Men's All-Sports Standings. This marks the best finish for men's programs since finishing 2nd in the ASUN's Jesse Fletcher Trophy standings in 2011-12. The Spartans were led by men's basketball, men's indoor and outdoor track and field as well as baseball posting the most points. Men's basketball reached the conference tournament semifinals, men's indoor track and field finished 5th and scored the most points in an indoor conference championship meet in school history, while outdoor track also finished 5th at the championship meet. Spartan baseball reached the semifinals of the recently completed Big South Championship.
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On the women's side, the Spartans were led by the women's golf team's runner-up finish at the Big South championship, softball's run the Big South semifinals, women's basketball entering the basketball tournament as the number 2 overall seed and volleyball claiming its best conference regular-season finish in the DI era.
The Sasser Cup Trophy is named for former Big South Commissioner Buddy Sasser and is awarded to the Big South member institution with the most successful year athletically, based on an average points system.  Points are awarded for both regular-season and tournament finishes in each of the League's 19 championships, and the average of the combined total is used to determine the overall point allocation in the respective sport.  One bonus point is added to the average total for each Conference Champion/AQ representative, as well as any teams that receive at-large NCAA Championships berths.  Teams tied in regular-season or tournament play split the points earned.  Each member's overall point totals are then divided by the number of sports sponsored by that school to determine the average.
2021-22 Sasser Cup Standings
1.    High Point .............................  10.28
2.   Campbell .................................  10.21
3. Â Â Charleston Southern ..... Â 8.64
4.   Longwood ...............................  7.48
5.   USC Upstate ...........................  7.15
6. Â Â North Carolina A&T ........ Â 7.13
7.   UNC Asheville .....................  7.00
8.   Gardner-Webb ....................  6.84
9.   Radford ......................................  6.53
10.  Winthrop ..................................  5.69
11.   Hampton ...................................  5.18
12.  Presbyterian College ....  4.96
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2021-22 Men's All-Sports Award
1.    Campbell ..................................  9.94
2.   High Point ..............................  9.43
3.   Charleston Southern .....  9.39
4.   USC Upstate ..........................  7.68
5.   North Carolina A&T ........  7.13
6.   Winthrop ..................................  7.04
7.   Gardner-Webb ....................  7.00
8.   UNC Asheville .....................  6.96
9.   Radford .....................................  6.83
10.  Longwood ...............................  6.79
T-11. Presbyterian College .... Â 5.04
     Hampton ..................................  5.04
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2021-22 Women's All-Sports Award
1.    High Point ..............................  11.03
2.   Campbell .................................  10.45
3.   Longwood ...............................  8.07
4.   Charleston Southern .....  8.06
5.   North Carolina A&T ........  7.13
6.   UNC Asheville .....................  7.03
7.   Gardner-Webb ....................  6.70
8.   USC Upstate ..........................  6.69
9.   Radford ......................................  6.35
10.  Hampton ..................................  5.28
11.   Presbyterian College .....  4.91
12.  Winthrop ..................................  4.64
JOIN UP
Make a difference in the lives of USC Upstate student-athletes!  Donate to the USC Upstate U Club today!
Keep UP with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateSpartans
Instagram |Â @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
"I'm so proud of our student-athletes, coaches and support staff for another strong finish in the Sasser Cup," said Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Daniel Feig. "After our highest ever conference cup finish a year ago, I'm encouraged that we have backed it up again with another Top 5 finish, despite challenging circumstances. Ending fifth is not our goal, however examining the course of our Division I history, our last two years illustrate how our program overall is stronger than it has ever been as we continue to make our way to the top. Our continued success is a testament to the hard work of the everyone associated with our USC Upstate athletic department led by our over 280 student-athletes."
Since moving to the Big South, USC Upstate has appeared in one other Sasser Cup ranking, 2018-19, placing 7th out of 11. The award was not given during the 2019-20 year due to the cancellation of all spring sports at the on-set of the COVID-19 pandemic. USC Upstate's best finish as a member of the ASUN Conference (2007-2018) came in 2011-12, placing 6th out of the league's then 10 institutions.
The Spartans in 2021-22 were paced by its men's sports programs, finishing 4th in the Men's All-Sports Standings. This marks the best finish for men's programs since finishing 2nd in the ASUN's Jesse Fletcher Trophy standings in 2011-12. The Spartans were led by men's basketball, men's indoor and outdoor track and field as well as baseball posting the most points. Men's basketball reached the conference tournament semifinals, men's indoor track and field finished 5th and scored the most points in an indoor conference championship meet in school history, while outdoor track also finished 5th at the championship meet. Spartan baseball reached the semifinals of the recently completed Big South Championship.
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On the women's side, the Spartans were led by the women's golf team's runner-up finish at the Big South championship, softball's run the Big South semifinals, women's basketball entering the basketball tournament as the number 2 overall seed and volleyball claiming its best conference regular-season finish in the DI era.
The Sasser Cup Trophy is named for former Big South Commissioner Buddy Sasser and is awarded to the Big South member institution with the most successful year athletically, based on an average points system.  Points are awarded for both regular-season and tournament finishes in each of the League's 19 championships, and the average of the combined total is used to determine the overall point allocation in the respective sport.  One bonus point is added to the average total for each Conference Champion/AQ representative, as well as any teams that receive at-large NCAA Championships berths.  Teams tied in regular-season or tournament play split the points earned.  Each member's overall point totals are then divided by the number of sports sponsored by that school to determine the average.
2021-22 Sasser Cup Standings
1.    High Point .............................  10.28
2.   Campbell .................................  10.21
3. Â Â Charleston Southern ..... Â 8.64
4.   Longwood ...............................  7.48
5.   USC Upstate ...........................  7.15
6. Â Â North Carolina A&T ........ Â 7.13
7.   UNC Asheville .....................  7.00
8.   Gardner-Webb ....................  6.84
9.   Radford ......................................  6.53
10.  Winthrop ..................................  5.69
11.   Hampton ...................................  5.18
12.  Presbyterian College ....  4.96
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2021-22 Men's All-Sports Award
1.    Campbell ..................................  9.94
2.   High Point ..............................  9.43
3.   Charleston Southern .....  9.39
4.   USC Upstate ..........................  7.68
5.   North Carolina A&T ........  7.13
6.   Winthrop ..................................  7.04
7.   Gardner-Webb ....................  7.00
8.   UNC Asheville .....................  6.96
9.   Radford .....................................  6.83
10.  Longwood ...............................  6.79
T-11. Presbyterian College .... Â 5.04
     Hampton ..................................  5.04
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2021-22 Women's All-Sports Award
1.    High Point ..............................  11.03
2.   Campbell .................................  10.45
3.   Longwood ...............................  8.07
4.   Charleston Southern .....  8.06
5.   North Carolina A&T ........  7.13
6.   UNC Asheville .....................  7.03
7.   Gardner-Webb ....................  6.70
8.   USC Upstate ..........................  6.69
9.   Radford ......................................  6.35
10.  Hampton ..................................  5.28
11.   Presbyterian College .....  4.91
12.  Winthrop ..................................  4.64
JOIN UP
Make a difference in the lives of USC Upstate student-athletes!  Donate to the USC Upstate U Club today!
Keep UP with the Spartans
Facebook.com/UpstateAthletics
Twitter | @UpstateSpartans
Instagram |Â @UpstateSpartans
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
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