May 30, 2019

A Record Achievement

UC Santa Barbara wins its 10th Big West Conference Commissioner's Cup title

Bill Mahoney

Winning conference crowns in baseball, men's tennis and women's tennis, and claiming top-three finishes in six other areas, UC Santa Barbara has taken home the 2018-19 Big West Conference Commissioner’s Cup.

In fact, though postseason play was cut short this past weekend, the baseball team’s regular season proved particularly outstanding. The team garnered the most Division I wins in campus history, and its first Big West title since 1986.

The other areas contributing to the Commissioner's Cup win are men's basketball, women's soccer, men's soccer, men's cross country, women's water polo and women's track and field.

Overall, the 16 Gaucho programs that compete in the Big West averaged 120.6 points, according to the league's formula. Cal State Fullerton came in second at 118.6 points while UC Irvine was third at 106.3.

"It's an honor to receive this recognition" said John McCutcheon, director of athletics. "It is a tribute to the outstanding performances of our student athletes, coaches and support staff over the past year."

Santa Barbara's previous Commissioner's Cup title wins came in 2015-16. In addition, the program took the top honors five consecutive years beginning in 2000-01, and won again in 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2009-10. Long Beach State is second all-time with eight Commissioner's Cups, while former league member Pacific claimed two.

The Big West Commissioner's Cup, which was established during the 1998-99 season, is awarded to the institution that earns the highest average point total following the 18 Conference sport seasons. Points are awarded only if the institution or conference does not sponsor the sport.

In determining a champion, the following round robin sports have points awarded on the basis of the final regular season standings, including a 20-point bonus for the champion: baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, women's tennis and indoor volleyball. In cross country, golf, men's tennis, track and field, women's beach volleyball and women's water polo, the points are awarded based on finish at the Conference Championship.

In the case of ties in all sports, points are awarded by combining points and dividing them equally among the tied teams.

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About UC Santa Barbara

The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.