SOMERSET, N.J. -- The Brenda Weare Commissioner's Cup serves as a symbol of broad-based athletic excellence within the Northeast Conference (NEC). Monmouth returned to the top of the Cup standings in 2012-13, dethroning Sacred Heart, which saw its five-year reign as champion come to an end. The Hawks also defended their NEC Men's Commissioner's Cup, while Saint Francis University claimed the Joan Martin Women's Commissioner's Cup, ending Sacred Heart's six-year run as women's Cup winner.
Monmouth earned itself a place in the NEC recordbook with its seventh Brenda Weare Commissioner's Cup win, one more than Fairleigh Dickinson. The Hawks won the Cup in 1990-91, 1997-98, four straight years from 2003-07 and now in 2012-13.
The Hawks racked up 215.94 points over the course of the 2012-13 academic year, besting runner-up Sacred Heart, which finished with 202.74 points. The Hawks captured NEC Tournament championships men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, along with women's lacrosse. The Hawks also finished in the top-three of the NEC regular season standings in eight of the ten round-robin sports the school offers.
On the men's side, Monmouth has now come out on top in 12 of the last 16 years. The Hawks amassed 96.03 points and held off a late charge from Bryant, which finished a close second with 94.52 points. Of the nine men's sports Monmouth sponsors, the Hawks finished in the top three of the NEC standings or at an NEC Championship in six of them. Starting with the 2001-02 season, Monmouth has earned the Men's Cup on all but two occasions.
“We are ecstatic about winning the NEC Brenda Weare Commissioner's Cup,” said Marilyn McNeil, Monmouth Vice President and Director of Athletics. “This is a testament to the hard work our coaches and student-athletes gave to their sports on a daily basis. Every team did their part to compete at the highest level and all were rewarded. The cup symbolizes for us, the ultimate team effort and the MU staff and students really pulled together. As a bonus, the men's teams led the conference and won their award. There were many outstanding performances led by the dual conference championships of men's indoor and outdoor track, while six of our nine men's teams finished in the top three or better.”
Monmouth, which won 36 regular season championships during its tenure with the NEC, claimed 68 NEC Tournament Championships, seven Commissioner's Cups, while finishing in the top two in 15 of the 16 years, and 12 Men's Commissioner's Cups.
Saint Francis U registered its highest-ever score on the women's side to win the Joan Martin Commissioner's Cup for the second time in school history (2004-05). With 127.60 points, the Red Flash won over Monmouth (119.91) and Sacred Heart (117.88). Saint Francis U won the NEC women's swimming and diving championship for the fourth straight time, and also collected NEC regular season crowns in field hockey and women's soccer.
Following Monmouth (215.94 points) and Sacred Heart (202.74) in the Cup standings was Saint Francis U with 186.87 points. The Red Flash finished just ahead of Bryant (184.54), which jumped six spots from a year ago to fourth place. Central Connecticut took the fifth spot (178.68), followed by LIU Brooklyn in sixth place (175.66). Robert Morris (168.91) edged out Quinnipiac (166.38) for seventh with Mount St. Mary's (141.22) in ninth and Fairleigh Dickinson (138.63) in tenth. Wagner (121.01) and St. Francis Brooklyn (82.76) rounded out the pack.
“Congratulations to the Monmouth coaches and student-athletes for a tremendous year in 2012-13, their efforts enabled them to dethrone Sacred Heart from the top of the Brenda Weare Commissioner's Cup standings after a five-year reign as well as earn their 12th Men's Commissioner's Cup,” said Noreen Morris, NEC Commissioner. “And congratulations to Saint Francis University for winning the Joan Martin Women's Commissioner Cup. The Red Flash female student-athletes have worked incredibly hard to achieve this special distinction.”
Weare, who passed away in June, 2009, made a lasting impact in her three years as Commissioner of the NEC. In that time, she introduced a number of new programs aimed at upgrading the caliber of the league's championship sports and enhancing the opportunities and experiences for the more than 4,000 student-athletes that compete in the conference. In addition to securing Bryant as the NEC's 12th full-time member, Weare was instrumental in the NEC gaining automatic access to the NCAA Division I Football Championship beginning in 2010, spearheading the conference's Strategic Plan and implementing a new leaguewide sportsmanship policy. The Commissioner's Cup was renamed in her honor in May, 2009.
Joan Martin played an integral part in Monmouth athletics for 33 years, serving as an Associate Athletics Director, Assistant Athletics Director, Senior Woman Administrator and Compliance Director, as well as a coach during her time in West Long Branch. Martin joined the Monmouth staff in as a coach in 1969 and continued until 1982, when she joined the athletic administration. Martin was the women's basketball coach for 13 years, and mentored the softball (11 years) and field hockey (eight years) programs as well. Along with the NEC Women's Commissioner Cup bearing her name, she was inducted into the Monmouth University Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.
About the Brenda Weare Commissioner's Cup
The NEC Commissioner's Cup was instituted during the 1986-87 season with Long Island winning the inaugural award. Monmouth and Fairleigh Dickinson lead all NEC schools with seven and six Cups to their credit, respectively. Cup points are awarded in each NEC sponsored sport. For men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, football, women's bowling, softball, field hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, and baseball, the final regular season standings are used to determine Cup points. Starting with the 2012-13 season, the Conference began awarding three bonus points to the NEC Tournament champion in those sports. In all other sports, points are awarded based on the finish at NEC Championship events.
2012-13 Brenda Weare Commissioner's Cup Overall Standings:
1. Monmouth 215.94
2. Sacred Heart 202.74
3. Saint Francis U 186.67
4. Bryant 181.54
5. Central Connecticut 178.68
6. LIU Brooklyn 175.66
7. Robert Morris 168.91
8. Quinnipiac 166.38
9. Mount St. Mary's 141.22
10. Fairleigh Dickinson 138.63
11. Wagner 121.01
12. St. Francis Brooklyn 82.76
2012-13 NEC Commissioner's Cup Men's Standings:
1. Monmouth 96.03
2. Bryant 91.52
3. Sacred Heart 84.86
4. Robert Morris 78.72
5. Central Connecticut 74.80
6. Wagner 67.15
7. LIU Brooklyn 66.58
8. Mount St. Mary's 64.00
9. Fairleigh Dickinson 62.48
10. Quinnipiac 61.60
11. Saint Francis U 59.07
12. St. Francis Brooklyn 41.01
2012-13 Joan Martin Commissioner's Cup Women's Standings:
1. Saint Francis U 127.60
2. Monmouth 119.91
3. Sacred Heart 117.88
4. LIU Brooklyn 109.08
5. Quinnipiac 104.78
6. Central Connecticut 103.88
7. Robert Morris 90.19
8. Bryant 90.02
9. Mount St. Mary's 77.22
10. Fairleigh Dickinson 76.15
11. Wagner 53.86
12. St. Francis Brooklyn 41.75
Brenda Weare Commissioner's Cup Champions:
2012-13 Monmouth
2011-12 Sacred Heart
2010-11 Sacred Heart
2009-10 Sacred Heart
2008-09 Sacred Heart
2007-08 Sacred Heart
2006-07 Monmouth
2005-06 Monmouth
2004-05 Monmouth
2003-04 Monmouth
2002-03 UMBC
2001-02 UMBC
2000-01 UMBC
1999-00 UMBC
1998-99 UMBC
1997-98 Monmouth
1996-97 Mount St. Mary's
1995-96 Mount St. Mary's
1994-95 Mount St. Mary's
1993-94 Fairleigh Dickinson
1992-93 Fairleigh Dickinson
1991-92 Fairleigh Dickinson
1990-91 Monmouth
1989-90 Fairleigh Dickinson
1988-89 Fairleigh Dickinson
1987-88 Fairleigh Dickinson
1986-87 LIU Brooklyn
