SUNY Cortland Athletics Program wins SUNYAC Commissioner’s Cup

05/14/2024 

The SUNY Cortland intercollegiate athletics program finished first in the Dr. Patrick R. Damore State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Commissioner's Cup standings for the 2023-24 school year.

Cortland won the Commissioner’s Cup, which is awarded for overall sports excellence, for the 18th time overall and the first since 2013-14. The Red Dragons placed second in the other eight times since the competition originated in the 1996-97 season. The Cup is named for Dr. Damore, the long-time SUNYAC Commissioner who retired in 2012 and passed away in 2021 at age 90.

Cortland finished with an average score of 8.94 points. Geneseo was second with an average score of 8.55 points and New Paltz was third at 7.40 points.

Commissioner's Cup points are awarded based on each team's finish in the SUNYAC standings, both during the regular season and in league postseason tournaments, when applicable. The first-place school in each sport receives 10 points, second place receives nine points, and so on. A school’s regular-season finish is added to its postseason finish and is divided by two to determine the points for each sport. The total points earned are then divided by the number of conference sports the school sponsors.

Cortland won eight league crowns: field hockey, men's soccer, women's soccer, women's volleyball, men's ice hockey, women's ice hockey, wrestling and women's lacrosse. The Red Dragons also finished as league runner-up in six sports: men's indoor track and field, men's swimming and diving, women's swimming and diving, men's outdoor track and field, softball and baseball. Baseball was the league regular-season champion.

In addition, the women's tennis and women's basketball teams each placed second in the regular season and tied for third in their postseason tournaments. Men's lacrosse won the regular-season title and tied for third in the postseason. Men's basketball tied for third in its tournament, and the men's cross country, women's cross country, women's indoor track and field and women's outdoor track and field teams each finished third. The SUNYAC sponsors 22 sports, including the addition of wrestling and women's ice hockey this school year.

2023-24 SUNYAC Commissioner's Cup — Final Standings

                                       # of league         Total         Avg. Points
Rank, School                         sports         Points          per sport

1. Cortland.................................. 22         196.75                    8.94
2. Geneseo................................. 19         162.5                     8.55
3. New Paltz............................... 15         111                          7.40
4. Brockport................................. 21         139.25                    6.63
5. Oneonta.................................. 20         122.5                     6.13
6. Oswego................................... 22         125                        5.68
7. Plattsburgh.............................. 18         95                         5.44
8. Buffalo St................................. 15         62.25                     4.15
9. Fredonia................................... 18         62.5                       3.47
10. Potsdam................................. 18         49.25                     2.74