OVC Commissioner's Cup Champions
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – For the first time under its current format, two teams have shared the OVC Commissioner's Cup Award for the 2023-24 school year.
Both Eastern Illinois and Little Rock finished with 110.5 points to grab a share of the award, which is a symbol of overall athletic excellence in Conference-sponsored championships.
The Panthers finished first in men's and women's cross country, softball and volleyball, second in men's indoor and outdoor track and field and women's basketball. It marked the fourth overall Commissioner's Cup for EIU (2009-10, 2010-11, 2012-13, 2023-24).
In just its second year in the OVC Little Rock won its first-ever Cup. The Trojans were first place in men's basketball, baseball, women's golf and men's indoor and outdoor track and field and second in women's basketball and women's indoor and outdoor track and field.
Southeast Missouri (101) was third and followed by Tennessee Tech (88), Southern Indiana (84), UT Martin (82), Morehead State (75), Western Illinois (68), SIUE (67.5), Tennessee State (59) and Lindenwood (58).
The 2023-24 season marked the 15th for the re-formatted Commissioner's Cup, which was previously known as the All-Sports Trophy. The award (which started in 1962-63 for men's sports and 1980-81 for women's sports) was previously divided into a Men's All-Sport Champion and a Women's All-Sport Champion. Points were awarded for each of the 19 sponsored sports and each school was required to count its totals from each sport in its grand total.
Both the Men's and Women's All-Sport Trophy was shared once (1988-89 for the men and 2003-24 for the women).
The points system has schools now count 13 total sports in the final standings. Among those 13, schools are required to count the point totals of three main sports (men's basketball, women's basketball, and volleyball) as well as the highest finishing men's and women's track & field sport (either cross country, indoor track & field or outdoor track & field). Schools that sponsor football are required to count it as one of its 13 sports.
Points are distributed based on the number of schools that sponsor the sport (e.g. if 10 schools sponsor a sport, the champion will earn 10 points, 9 points for second place, 8 points for third place, etc.).
In addition winners of OVC Tournaments (soccer, volleyball, basketball, tennis, beach volleyball, softball and baseball) get one additional bonus point.
