St. Olaf men, Saint Benedict women lead MIAC All-Sports Competition

http://www.miac-online.org/news/2011/11/23/MIAC_1123114545.aspx

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The 2011 fall season was an extremely competitive one in the MIAC, with numerous co-champions and close conference races that went down to the final game. That competitiveness is reflect in the first update to the 2011-12 MIAC All-Sports Competition standings, and after the fall season, the St. Olaf College men and the College of Saint Benedict women hold a slim lead.

The MIAC awards a traveling All-Sports Trophy to the college that accumulates the best all-sports record during the MIAC academic year. The men’s trophy, the George Durenberger Trophy, was first awarded in 1963-64, while the women’s trophy, the Pat Wiesner Trophy, began in 1984-84, a year after women’s competition began in the MIAC.

The competition began its current format in 2003-04. First-place points are determined by the number of teams participating in each sport and points are awarded to each team in descending order based on their finish in the regular-season standings (soccer, football, basketball, hockey, tennis, baseball, softball), or the MIAC Championships (golf, cross country, swimming and diving, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field).

The Oles shared the MIAC men's soccer championship this fall to highlight their great season, which ends with them in first-place in the men's All-Sports Competition with a total of 35 points. The Oles added second-place finishes in cross country and football and a fourth-place finish in golf to build a three-point lead over defending men's All-Sports champion St. Thomas. The Tommies were the only institution with multiple men's championships this fall - football and golf - and are just three points behind the Oles in second with a score of 32 following the fall.

Just five points separates the next four teams in the men's All-Sports standings as further proof of this fall's parity. Saint John's sits in third place with 27 points and Bethel is a close fourth with a score of 26.5 points. Gustavus has 22 points to round out the top five and - behind the strength of a co-conference title in soccer - Carleton is just a half-point behind the Gusties at 21.5. Augsburg is in seventh with 17 followed closely by Hamline and its 15 points, thanks largely to its men's cross country championship. Concordia (13.5), Macalester (12.5) and Saint Mary's (seven) round out the rest of the men's standings.

Somehow, the women's standings are even closer following the fall season. The Blazers sit atop the standings with 38 points, thanks to a co-championship in women's soccer and good showings in volleyball, golf and cross country, but less than seven points separates the top six teams in the standings. Carleton and Concordia are in a tie for second just three points behind CSB with 35 points apiece. The Knights won the women's cross country title and shared the women's soccer championship, while Concordia shared the volleyball title and finished third in soccer to boost its point total.

St. Olaf, the women's golf champion and cross country runner-up, sits in fourth place with 33 points. Defending All-Sports champ St. Thomas is also still within striking distance at 32.5 points thanks to a co-championship in volleyball and a good showing in cross country. Gustavus rounds out the strong top half of the standings with 30.5 points behind a second-place finish in golf and a third-place showing in cross country.

Bethel has 24.5 points and is in seventh place following the fall season. Macalester is in eighth with a total of 19 points, Augsburg has 17.5 points and occupies ninth place. Hamline and St. Catherine both finished the fall with identical point totals of 13 to share 10th place, and Saint Mary's rounds out the women's standings with eight points.

For the complete breakdown of the 2010-11 MIAC All-Sports Competition, including sport-by-sport results, standings and more, CLICK HERE. The George Durenberger and Pat Wiesner Trophies will be awarded following the conclusion of the spring sports season, which includes men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, baseball and softball. The winter season, already under way, consists of men's and women's basketball, men's and women's hockey, men's and women's swimming and diving and men's and women's indoor track and field.

2011-12 MIAC Men's All-Sports Competition 

(Totals following fall season)

1. St. Olaf, 35

2. St. Thomas, 32

3. Saint John's, 27

4. Bethel, 26.5

5. Gustavus, 22

6. Carleton, 21.5

7. Augsburg, 17

8. Hamline, 15

9. Concordia, 13.5

10. Macalester, 12.5

11. Saint Mary's, 7

2011-12 MIAC Women's All-Sports Competition

(Totals following fall season)

1. Saint Benedict, 38

T2. Carleton, 35

T2. Concordia, 35

4. St. Olaf, 33

5. St. Thomas, 32.5

6. Gustavus, 30.5

7. Bethel, 24.5

8. Macalester, 19

9. Augsburg, 17.5

T10. Hamline, 13

T10. St. Catherine, 13

12. Saint Mary's, 8

Courtesy of MIAC