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Moravian Captures 2017-18 Landmark Conference Presidents' Trophy

Mary Beth Spirk, Landmark Conference Commissioner Dan Fisher and President Bryon L. Grigsby '90 with the Landmark Conference Presidents' Trophy at the final faculty meeting of the 2017-18 academic year.
Mary Beth Spirk, Landmark Conference Commissioner Dan Fisher and President Bryon L. Grigsby '90 with the Landmark Conference Presidents' Trophy at the final faculty meeting of the 2017-18 academic year.

TOWSON, Md. --- Moravian College won six conference titles and posted eight additional top-five finishes during the 2017-18 academic year to win its fourth Landmark Conference Presidents' Trophy.

Moravian's six Landmark titles came in men's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, softball, and men's and women's outdoor track & field.

Among the Greyhounds eight additional top-five finishes, four were post-season showings in volleyball, women's basketball, baseball, women's lacrosse, and women's tennis.

Moravian also added third-place finishes throughout the year in men's and women's cross country, and men's golf.

"The coaches and student-athletes are honored to be recognized as the winner of the Landmark Conference Presidents' Trophy," stated Director of Athletics & Recreation and Head Women's Basketball Coach Mary Beth Spirk. "We have worked hard here at Moravian in all our sports to not only put quality teams on the court, field and track, but also to get better every year in terms of success. This year was an outstanding year for us. It is a pleasure to be recognized for our success and we will certainly take great pride in displaying the trophy."

The University of Scranton, which placed second in the standings last season, finished second again this year. The Royals earned top-five finishes in 17 championship sports, which included winning conference titles in women's soccer, women's basketball, and women's tennis. Catholic University finished third in the standings, jumping two spots from the fall and winter seasons. The Cardinals won three titles this year, claiming the men's swimming, baseball, and women's lacrosse titles. The Cardinals were also the runner-up in field hockey, women's swimming, and women's tennis. Elizabethtown College, last year's trophy winner, checked in at fourth. The Blue Jays picked up three league titles in men's and women's cross country, and men's lacrosse, and earned a second place showing in men's soccer. E-town also appeared in seven postseason championships.

Susquehanna University, which won its league-leading eighth women's swimming championship, finished fifth overall, while Juniata College finished seventh, which included two conference titles in field hockey and volleyball. Drew University finished seventh and a league title in men's soccer, while Goucher College finished eighth. The Gophers won their third men's tennis crown and won the inaugural men's golf championship.

The Trophy is awarded based on a formula that rewards institutions for regular season conference standings as well as results in Landmark postseason competition. The point structure was revised in the summer of 2016 with different point hierarchies for team and individual sports, but the maximum number of points any team can earn is 15. The total number of points each institution earn is divided by the number of Landmark sports sponsored to determine the average.

Moravian won three of the first four Presidents' Trophies, interrupted only by Susquehanna in 2010. The River Hawks would go on to win the trophy in 2012, 2014 and 2016 while Catholic was named the winners in 2013 and 2015. Elizabethtown won in 2017.

For more information on the Landmark Conference Presidents' Trophy, visit http://landmarkconference.org/honors/presidentscup/index.

 

Release courtesy of the Landmark Conference