By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- One-third of the way through the 2025-26 athletics calendar, Bridgewater State University leads the Howard C. Smith Cup standings.
The Smith Cup goes annually to the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference institution that has the most points based on where its teams finish in each sport from September through May.
Bridgewater is in search of its first Smith Cup since 2018-19. BSU has won the award 12 times outright while sharing it three other times.
The Smith Cup is named in honor of Howard C. Smith, a former Massachusetts State College trustee who had a key role in starting the MASCAC in 1971.
Through the fall season, the Bears have 62.5 of a possible 76 points for a percentage of .829.
Westfield State is second at .796 with 60.5 points followed by Worcester State (.552, 42 points), Framingham State (.539, 41), the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (.421, 27), Salem State (.406, 19.5), Fitchburg State (.381, 29), Anna Maria (.316, 19) and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (.272, 12).
Bridgewater State finished first in three sports, second in two others, was third in one and fourth in another.
The Bears won regular season championships in men's cross country, volleyball and men's soccer.
Men's cross country won the MASCAC crown for the second year in a row and has four of the last six championships.
Volleyball went 8-0 for its first outright MASCAC title since 2006. The Bears shared the conference title in 2008.
Men's soccer won its third consecutive MASCAC championship, clinching it on the final day with a 6-1-1 record. The Bears have seven conference titles.
The field hockey team finished second in the MASCAC behind Westfield State with a 10-2 record.
Women's cross country was second to Westfield State with three of the top 15 individual finishers. Senior Naomi Cass (Westport, Mass.) won the title for a third year in a row to lead BSU.
The Women's soccer team was the No. 3 seed in the MASCAC tournament with a 5-1-2 record.
The Bears' football team was fourth with a 5-4 record in the conference.
BSU won outright Smith Cups in 1985-86, 1994-95, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2018-19. The Bears shared the award
in 1995-96, 1997-98 and 2004-05.
Westfield State has won the last five Smith Cups and leads the MASCAC with 19 Smith Cups since it was first awarded in the 1972-73 academic year.
The standings will be updated in March following the winter season, which includes men's and women's basketball for BSU.