By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – For the second straight academic year, the University of Tennessee at Martin athletic department generated its highest finish in the Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner’s Cup standings as the league unveiled the final 2022-23 results this afternoon.
The Skyhawks compiled 83.5 points overall, which ranked fifth in the conference standings. That tally trailed only Southeast Missouri (102 points), Tennessee Tech (90.5), Eastern Illinois (89) and Little Rock (86.5) in the top-five. Trailing UT Martin was Tennessee State (63.5), SIUE (61.5), Morehead State (61.5), Southern Indiana (57) and Lindenwood (46.5).
Earning points for UT Martin in 2022-23 was the OVC regular season champion volleyball team (10), the OVC champion football squad (9.5), men’s cross country (9), the OVC champion beach volleyball team (7), men’s basketball (7), baseball (6.5), women’s basketball (6), men’s outdoor track (6), softball (6), golf (5), women’s cross country (5), men’s indoor track (4) and soccer (2.5).
The 83.5 points by the 2022-23 Skyhawks are the fifth-most in school history, trailing only the 2016-17 (89), 2020-21 (88.5), 2015-16 (88.5) and 2011-12 seasons (86.5). UT Martin has now finished in fifth place in back-to-back seasons for the first time ever.
Created prior to the 2008-09 academic year, the OVC Commissioner’s Cup is a symbol of overall athletic excellence in Conference-sponsored championships. It is awarded annually to one member institution as schools are required to count 13 total sports, including mandated point totals for men’s basketball, women’s basketball, volleyball, one male cross country/track and one female cross country/track. Schools that sponsor football are also required to count those points. The next highest point totals from the remaining sports (regardless of gender) round out each university’s score.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information