SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota State won its sixth Summit League Commissioner's Cup following the conclusion of the 2020-21 academic year.
The Jackrabbits secured the top spot for the first time in five years by collecting 84 points between their men's and women's programs throughout the 2020-21 academic year. In total, SDSU earned five championship titles and six runner-up honors among the 16 league sports the department sponsors. SDSU also won the cup in 2010-11, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16.
The Jackrabbits stood atop the Dr. Helen Smiley Women's All-Sports Award standings as well with 52 points, while North Dakota State led the Dr. William Steinbrecher Men's All-Sports Award standings with 33 points.
North Dakota State took second overall with 74 points and claimed four titles by sweeping both men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field trophies.
South Dakota claimed third overall with 71 points after winning the men's swimming and diving title and finishing runner-up in women's basketball, men's basketball, volleyball as well as women's indoor and outdoor track and field.
Denver, who placed fourth with 61 points, equaled SDSU with five overall titles throughout the year, claiming crowns in men's golf, women's golf, women's soccer, women's tennis and volleyball.
Oral Roberts, who holds the most all-time cups with nine, was fifth with 51.5 points while Omaha took sixth with 44.5 points. North Dakota (42), league newcomer Kansas City (39) and Western Illinois (24.5) round out the cup standings.
The Commissioner's Cup is given annually to the member institution that collects the most combined points in relationship to placement in league-sponsored sports between its men's and women's athletic programs, while the All-Sports Awards are given to the institutions that accumulate the most points in men's sports and women's sports. The men's award is named for former Valparaiso Director of Athletics Dr. William Steinbrecher, who guided the Crusaders from 1979-2004, while the women's award is named for former Western Illinois Director of Athletics Dr. Helen Smiley, who headed WIU's athletic program from 1994-2001.
Standings for the 2020-21 Commissioner's Cup and the Dr. William Steinbrecher Men's All-Sports and Dr. Helen Smiley Women's All-Sports Awards can be found below. The breakdown of each institution's points and finishes within each sport can be found within the attached PDF.
2020-21 FINAL STANDINGS |
| Commissioner's Cup |
| Place |
School |
Points |
| 1. |
South Dakota State |
84 |
| 2. |
North Dakota State |
74 |
| 3. |
South Dakota |
70.5 |
| 4. |
Denver |
61 |
| 5. |
Oral Roberts |
51.5 |
| 6. |
Omaha |
44.5 |
| 7. |
North Dakota |
42 |
| 8. |
Kansas City |
39 |
| 9. |
Western Illinois |
24.5 |
|
| Dr. William Steinbrecher Men's All-Sports Award |
| Place |
School |
Points |
| 1. |
North Dakota State |
33 |
| 2. |
South Dakota State |
32 |
| 3. |
Oral Roberts |
29 |
| 4. |
South Dakota |
23 |
| 5. |
Denver |
20 |
| 6. |
Omaha |
15 |
| 7. |
North Dakota |
13.5 |
| 8. |
Kansas City |
12.5 |
| 9. |
Western Illinois |
10 |
|
| Dr. Helen Smiley Women's All-Sports Award |
| Place |
School |
Points |
| 1. |
South Dakota State |
52 |
| 2. |
South Dakota |
47.5 |
| T-3. |
North Dakota State |
41 |
| T-3. |
Denver |
41 |
| 5. |
Omaha |
29.5 |
| 6. |
North Dakota |
28.5 |
| 7. |
Kansas City |
26.5 |
| 8. |
Oral Roberts |
22.5 |
| 9. |
Western Illinois |
14.5 |
|
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