UL claims third in all-sports rankings

5/26/05

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns still aren’t where they want to be in Sun Belt Conference all-sports standings, but they took a step in the right direction in 2004-05.

The school finished third in competition for this year’s Vic Bubas Cup, which encompasses all sports contested in the conference for the just-completed school year.

That third place represents a slight improvement for UL, which placed fourth in 2003-04.

It’s also an encouraging sign for a school that placed fourth in 2000-01, sixth in 2001-02 and tied for sixth in 2003-04, as well as the school’s best since a third-place in 1997-98.

"I am extremely proud of the accomplishments of all of our teams, as it was their collective effort that helped us earn our highest finish in the Bubas Cup standings since the 1997-98 athletic season," said Athletic Director Nelson Schexnayder, contacted at the Sun Belt Conference meetings in Destin, Fla.

"As we continue to strive for excellence in every sport that we compete in, we hope to continue our progress next season and maybe we can be talking about winning the Bubas Cup next year."

Repeating as Vic Bubas Cup champions, and winning the all-sports award for the third year in the last five, was Middle Tennessee. The finish was announced at Wednesday night’s Sun Belt Honors Banquet, held in conjunction with the league’s spring meetings.

Middle Tennessee finished with 107 points, claiming conference titles in women’s regular-season soccer, women’s track, women’s basketball and men’s tennis.

Western Kentucky, which won the cup in 2002 and 2003, had 104 points after claiming crowns in women’s cross country, women’s swimming and diving and men’s swimming and diving.

Louisiana took home four championships en route to 89 points, winning men’s cross country, women’s regular-season basketball, softball and regular-season baseball.

Volleyball and basketball scoring is based on a combination of divisional and tournament finishes.

Trailing the top three schools are South Alabama (87.5 points), North Texas (87), New Mexico State (82), Florida International (80), Arkansas State (74), Denver (71), Arkansas-Little Rock (64) and New Orleans (54).

New Mexico State is leaving the Sun Belt for the Western Athletic Conference. Also leaving are football-only members Idaho and Utah State.

Scoring for Sun Belt affiliate members includes UL Monroe (10.5), Florida Atlantic (9), Troy (8), Idaho (2) and Utah State (2).

The Bubas Cup is named for the Sun Belt Conference’s first commissioner, Vic Bubas, who served the league from 1976-1990.

Originally published May 26, 2005