USU finished fourth in WAC commissioner’s cup race
Paced by a men’s cross country title and five league runner-up finishes, Utah State finished fourth in the Western Athletic Conference Commissioner’s Cup race in its first season in the conference.
Boise State won the title with 96.50 points, while Nevada was second at 93.75, Fresno State third at 89.50 and Utah State fourth at 87.00 in the nine-team league.
The WAC awards its Commissioner’s Cup to the school that performs the best in each of the conference’s 19 men’s and women’s championships. Nine points are awarded for first place, eight for second place, etc., in every sport (regardless of the number of teams) and are averaged between a team’s regular season finish (if applicable) and its WAC championship finish. Ties are not broken, but instead are averaged between the tied teams. Affiliate members are not eligible for the Commissioner’s Cup, but their standings in WAC championships are still used for determining points.
In the fall, USU’s men’s cross country team captured the league championship behind the efforts of league runner of the year Trever Ball. USU’s basketball team finished second in both the regular season and the conference tournament en route to advancing to the NCAA Tournament as an at-large selection. The Aggie men’s track team placed second at the league meet this spring, while the women’s teams of cross country, soccer and volleyball all recorded runner-up league finishes as well.
The Aggie volleyball team also placed second in the tournament and advanced to the NCAA Championships.
Boise State won four league titles on the year, including football, men’s indoor track, men’s outdoor track and men’s tennis. The Broncos also had the league’s best finish at the WAC Championships, which was won by affiliate Sacramento State.
Utah State’s fourth-place finish was its best in a league commissioner’s cup race in four years as the Aggies were sixth in 2003, eighth in 2004 and fifth in 2005 in the Big West Conference. USU had placed fourth in that league’s standings three straight years from 2000 through 2002.
The WAC sponsors 19 sports.
2005-06 WAC Commissioner’s Cup Standings
Team Results Points Sports1. Boise State 96.50 162. Nevada 93.75 153. Fresno State 89.50 154. UTAH STATE 87.00 165. Hawai’I 82.50 155. Idaho 82.50 167. San Jose State 75.75 148. Louisiana Tech 74.25 149. New Mexico State 73.50 15
2005-06 Utah State Athletic Finishes
MENSport Record Conf. Tourn. NCAABasketball 23-9 11-5 / t2nd 2nd 1st RoundCross Country — — 1st 6th RegionalFootball 3-8 2-6 / t6th — –Golf — — 8th –Tennis 9-10 — t5th –Indoor Track — — 4th –Outdoor Track — — 2nd June 7-10
WOMENSport Record Conf. Tourn. NCAABasketball 3-24 2-14 / 9th Play-In –Cross Country — — 2nd 7th RegionalGymnastics 7-17 — 4th –Indoor Track — — 3rd –Outdoor Track — — 3rd June 7-10Soccer 7-9-4 4-2-1 / t2nd 1st Rd. –Softball 8-38 3-14 / 7th — –Tennis 8-15 — t5th –Volleyball 21-13 11-5 / t2nd 2nd 1st Round