As announced by the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on Wednesday (June 9) morning, Ashland University's athletic department finished second in the 2020-21 GLIAC Presidents' Trophy standings.
This is the 15
th consecutive GLIAC Presidents' Trophy season in which the Eagles have finished second behind Grand Valley State. Ashland had 94.5 standings points. Grand Valley State ended with 144 points, followed by Ashland, and third-place Saginaw Valley State (85.5).
The GLIAC Presidents' Trophy standings are based on final regular-season standings, except for the following sports that are based on conference tournament finish – cross country, golf, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field and swimming & diving. In 2020-21, Ashland's men's basketball and men's soccer teams won GLIAC Tournament championships.
The Presidents' Trophy, commonly referred to as the All-Sports Trophy, is awarded at the end of each year of competition to the conference member having demonstrated general excellence in all or most sports. The award is designed to promote well-rounded athletic programs within each member institution.
In a quarter-century of GLIAC seasons in which the Presidents' Trophy has been awarded (2019-20 wasn't due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Ashland won three Trophies (1995-96 to 1997-98), was second 20 times, was third once and was fourth once.
Ashland's athletic department will officially join the Great Midwest Athletic Conference on July 1, 2021. The Eagle wrestling team was an associate member of the Great Midwest in 2020-21, winning the 2021 conference championship.
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