Heading into the final weekend of Big Sky Championships, NAU’s men’s and women’s athletic programs have the most combined points between all 11 Big Sky institutions in the All-Sports Trophy races, the conference announced Tuesday.
The Lumberjacks rank second in the men’s standings and third in the women’s standings and have 97.5 total points to rank 3.5 points ahead of Sacramento State. Montana State and Montana are also within striking distance heading into the final week of Big Sky competition.
Points are awarded based on regular-season standings in the sports of men’s basketball, women’s basketball, soccer, football, softball, tennis and volleyball. In cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field, and golf, all-sports points are awarded by basis of finish in Big Sky Championships.
NAU’s men’s teams have earned a pair of Big Sky Championships this season in cross country and indoor track and field. The men also earned high points with a fourth-place finish in football and earned five points in basketball and two points in tennis.
The women earned a championship in golf while earning nine points apiece for high finishes in volleyball, tennis, and cross country. NAU’s women’s teams also received six points from indoor track & field and four points from basketball.
This is the first year of a new scoring system implemented by league administrators. The winner will be determined by total points, and not average per sport. On the women’s side, the top seven scores will be counted to determine the winner. The league sponsors nine women’s sports while Montana State does not field a soccer team and just seven of the 11 members compete in softball.
The 2013 outdoor track and field championships begin Wednesday in Forest Grove, Ore. The results of the championship will be the final event of the season to have a bearing on the All-Sports Trophies.
