ARLINGTON, Texas – For the sixth time as a conference member, Grand Canyon has finished an academic year as the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Commissioner’s Cup champion.
The WAC Commissioner’s Cup is awarded to the institution with the most points scored at the end of the academic year. Schools count their top 14 finishes out of a possible 20 WAC-sponsored sports (including members who compete in the United Athletic Conference for football). Points are awarded in order of finish in each sport. An institution that does not sponsor a specific sport does not receive any points. Only the regular season is counted for the sports of soccer, volleyball, football, basketball, tennis, softball and baseball. For the sports of cross country, indoor track and field, swimming and diving, golf and outdoor track and field, points are determined using the WAC’s championship results. Affiliates are used as a placeholder in the standings or championship results but are not scored in the overall Commissioner’s Cup standings.
Any team (except for golf) that earns an NCAA AQ from a WAC Championship is also awarded two points. Teams advancing in the NCAA tournament receive an additional two points per round advanced. An individual national champion will earn their program two additional points, while an individual runner-up or third-place finisher will earn their program one additional point.
Grand Canyon won eight combined postseason WAC Championships in 2023-24 on the way to accruing 159.9 points, securing conference championship trophies in women’s soccer, volleyball, women’s indoor track and field, men’s basketball, women’s tennis, men’s golf, men’s outdoor track and field and softball. The Lopes also claimed the top tournament seed and a regular-season title in baseball and received the conference’s automatic bid to NCAA Regionals.
California Baptist earned its best finish in the Commissioner’s Cup in its sixth full academic season in the WAC, logging 129.4 points for second place. The Lancers were postseason WAC champions in men’s cross country, men’s soccer and women’s basketball during the 2023-24 competition season.
Utah Valley tied its best all-time showing in the WAC Commissioner’s Cup race in third place after scoring 116.5 points as an institution. The Wolverines claimed conference titles in both women’s cross country and women’s outdoor track and field, also finishing as the top regular season team in women’s soccer.
2023-24 WAC Commissioner’s Cup Final Standings (Adjusted to top 14 countable sports)
1. Grand Canyon –159.9 points
2. California Baptist – 129.4 points
3. Utah Valley – 116.5 points
4. UT Arlington – 113.1 points
5. Tarleton State – 92.7 points
6. Seattle U – 91.0 points
7. Abilene Christian – 86.9 points
8. Southern Utah – 78.2 points
9. Utah Tech – 77.6 points
10. Stephen F. Austin – 68.7 points
11. UTRGV – 60.5 points
2023-24 WAC Commissioner’s Cup Men’s Sport Standings
1. Grand Canyon –78.9 points
2. California Baptist – 60.7 points
3. UT Arlington – 57.9 points
4. Tarleton State – 51.3 points
5. Utah Valley – 50.9 points
6. Abilene Christian – 49.4 points
7. Southern Utah – 42.8 points
8. Seattle U – 41.5 points
9. Utah Tech – 33.0 points
10. Stephen F. Austin – 30.6 points
11. UTRGV – 27.8 points
2023-24 WAC Commissioner’s Cup Women’s Sport Standings
1. Grand Canyon –105.7 points
2. California Baptist – 70.9 points
3. Utah Valley – 67.6 points
4. UT Arlington – 59.3 points
5. Seattle U – 54.9 points
6. Utah Tech – 48.1 points
7. Abilene Christian – 47.9 points
8. Tarleton State – 44.5 points
9. Stephen F. Austin – 44.2 points
10. Southern Utah – 35.4 points
11. UTRGV – 34.6 points