For an unprecedented fourth straight year, the Lee University Athletic Department laid claim to the Gulf South Conference All-Sports Trophy after earning seven league championships this season. The Flames also captured the men's and women's trophies for the four consecutive year to cement a four-year run of dominance in the competitive conference.
In addition, Lee also topped both men’s and women’s All-Sports Trophy standings, making it the first school in conference-history to sweep all three awards in four-straight years since the overall award was introduced in 2013-14.
Lee amassed 142.50 points in the overall standings which is the highest total Lee has achieved.
Lee is just the second school in league-history to sweep both the men's and women's awards in four straight seasons. The last to do so was Jacksonville State when they won both awards in four straight seasons from 1989-93. The women's trophy was first awarded during the 1982-83 academic year while the men's trophy debut in 1972-73.
Lee captured GSC tournament championships in women's cross country, men's cross country, men’s and women's indoor track & field, women's soccer, and men's and women's outdoor track & field. They also won the regular season title in baseball. Lee was also the only school to earn a berth into every GSC championship. As a result, the Lady Flames topped the women's standings with 50.725 points, while the men's teams led the league with 49.625 points.
“We are humbled and honored to accept the GSC All-Sports Trophy for the 4th consecutive year!” said Lee University Athletic Director John Maupin. “Lee University is a proud member of the Gulf South Conference, and we have a great appreciation for how competitive of a league it is, so the significance of winning this award is not something we take for granted. We receive tremendous support from our administration and University, which make this possible—there has always been a strong commitment to doing athletics the right way here at Lee. Our department is truly blessed with some of the best people in all of college athletics—from staff to coaches to student athletes and sharing the journey each year as a group is what makes winning awards like this so special. I am grateful for their hard work and dedication throughout the year.”
In the overall standings, Mississippi College (119) finished in second, the University of West Florida (113.375) followed in third while the University of Alabama in Huntsville (98.50) and the University of Montevallo (90.625) rounded out the top five.
The GSC will present the All-Sports Trophy on Wednesday, May 29 in Pensacola, Fla., as part of the league's annual awards banquet.