By Luke Applewhite
SAN MARCOS – For the third time in the last five years, Texas State University athletics department has claimed the 2023-2024 Vic Bubas Cup, the Sun Belt Conference announced.
Texas State, a member of the Sun Belt Conference since 2013, has demonstrated significant success in the athletic departments over the past five years.
Texas State, which previously secured the Bubas Cup during the 2021-2022 athletic season, now stands among just two schools to claim multiple Cup victories since joining the conference in the 2013-2014 season. Furthermore, Texas State is among a select group of five schools to have clinched the trophy since 1991.
The Bubas Cup is the Sun Belt’s annual all-sports championship trophy, given to the leading athletics department in the conference according to a points-based system.
The Vic Bubas Cup is named after the Sun Belt Conference’s first commissioner, Vic Bubas. A three-time ACC Coach of the Year at Duke in the 1960s, he led his team to three Final Fours. Bubas was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.
Texas State secured 130.5 points to top the Bubas Cup standings, ahead of James Madison (126), Coastal Carolina (119.5), Arkansas State (118), and tied fifth-place finishers Marshall and Louisiana (117).
Bubas Cup points are allocated based on regular season standings for sports with a conference schedule, while sports without a conference schedule use Sun Belt Championship results. Points are assigned relative to the number of schools sponsoring each sport, and schools not sponsoring a sport receive no points. In cases of ties, teams share the combined points for their positions.
An extra point is given to the winner of the conference tournament in sports that have both a regular season and a tournament. For sports with divisions, points are determined by overall conference records, regardless of divisional standings.
In a historic milestone, the Texas State football team achieved its inaugural bowl game victory against Rice University. The Bobcats concluded the season with an 8-5 record, establishing a new FBS program record for season wins with their sixth double-digit victory of the year. The Bobcats return to the field August 31st against Lamar.
The Texas State volleyball team had a successful season, boasting an impressive 20-10 record (12-4) in conference play. They secured a spot in the NCAA tournament, where they faced a tough defeat against SMU in a hard-fought match. The Volleyball team will be back in action on August 24th against Lamar.
The Texas State basketball team endured a challenging season, concluding with an overall record of 17-18. However, the Bobcats have a foundation to build upon, having secured three playoff victories in the Sun Belt Conference championship tournament. Impressively, the team posted a 9-4 record at home, but faced difficulties on the road, winning only 5 out of 16 games.
Texas State Women’s Golf Club clinched the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship. The Bobcats have now secured two women’s golf championships.
The Texas State women’s softball team secured the Sun Belt Conference Championship with an impressive overall record of 47-15. The Bobcats have now claimed the Sun Belt championship twice, and this victory earned them a spot in the NCAA tournament.
The Texas State women’s track and field team secured the Sun Belt Conference championship. This marks the third time the women’s track and field team has emerged victorious.
The competitive play of all Texas State athletic programs contributed equally to the school’s earning of the Vic Bubas Cup.
According to RedditCFB, Texas State University is among one of fifteen schools outside of the power five that had three or more sports with FBS Bowl game appearances/ NCAA tournaments in women’s volleyball, men and women’s basketball, baseball, and softball this year.Â
The cumulative success of Texas State athletic programs contributed to the university’s third overall Vic Bubas Cup award.
Winning the Vic Bubas Cup brings significant benefits to the university, including enhanced prestige, improved recruitment of talented student-athletes, and a boost in school spirit and morale. Increased media exposure highlights the university’s sports programs, potentially leading to higher ticket and merchandise sales.
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