UNH LEADS AMERICA EAST CONFERENCE COMMISSIONER'S CUP STANDINGS FOLLOWING FALL SEASON

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- The University of New Hampshire is currently leading the America East 2009-10 Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner's Cup standings by three points after completion of the fall athletic season. The Commissioner's Cup annually recognizes the strongest athletic program in America East as determined by a scoring system that rewards a school for success both during the regular season and at championship competition in the conference's 20 sports.

Following the six fall championships, New Hampshire has 120 points and holds a slight edge over Stony Brook University, which has 117 points. Boston University is third with 112 points followed by Binghamton University (111), University at Albany (106), University of Maine (72), University of Hartford (53), UMBC (53) and the University of Vermont (44).

New Hampshire fared well in every America East sport it sponsors this fall. The Wildcats earned the men's soccer regular-season crown and qualified for the postseason in field hockey, men's soccer, women’s soccer and volleyball. Additionally, the women's cross country squad placed fourth at its championship meet while the men’s cross country team placed second.

Stony Brook took its third straight cross country title on the women’s side, while the men placed third. The men’s soccer squad earned nearly one-third of the Seawolves’ points by following a second-place finish in the regular season with its first tournament title since 2005. SBU also reached the semifinals of the women’s soccer championship for the second straight year.

Boston University swept the women’s soccer regular-season and championship crowns for the second straight year. The Terriers’ field hockey team captured their fourth conference title in five years and also earned a share of the regular-season crown.

Binghamton won its first-ever men’s cross country title and also knocked off three-time defending champion Albany in the volleyball championship match for its first title since 2005.

Maine earned the second-most points in women’s cross country, it’s best showing since finishing second in 1989. The Black Bears earned the No. 3 seed for the women’s soccer tournament and reached the semifinals for the second straight year and also qualified for the postseason in field hockey.

Hartford earned 33 of its 53 points in men’s soccer. The Hawks finished tied for second in the regular season and reached the semifinals of the tournament, where they fell in penalty kicks to the eventual champion, Stony Brook.

UMBC picked up over half its points in men’s soccer by reaching the championship game for the first time in program history. The Retrievers also competed in the volleyball championship as the No. 4 seed.

Vermont accumulated the majority of its points in cross country. The Catamount women and men placed third and fifth, respectively, at the America East Championship, which was hosted by UVM.

The Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup is named in honor of the first commissioner of America East. Haskell served as commissioner of the conference from 1987 until his retirement in 1997.

The scoring system for the Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup is as follows: In sports where regular-season round robin competition is conducted, the first-place institution in the final standings receives four points times the total number of teams involved in conference play. The second-place institution receives four less points; third place receives eight less points, and so on. Additionally, the America East (tournament) champion receives two points times the total number of teams participating in the championship. The second-place institution receives two less points; third place receives four less points and so on down to the last-place institution which receives two points.

In sports where regular-season round robin competition is not conducted (cross country, tennis, track and field, swimming and diving), the first-place institution at the America East championship receives two points times the total number of teams participating in the championship. The second-place institution receives two less points; third place gets four less points and so on down to the last place team which receives two points.