University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville Athletics Finishes Third in Sasser Cup Standings
05.29.2026 | General
HILTON HEAD, S.C. – UNC Asheville Athletics placed third in the 2025-26 Big South George F. "Buddy" Sasser Cup standings, the conference office announced today (Friday, May 29). The Bulldogs accumulated an overall average of 5.52 points across the league's sponsored sports, marking just the second third-place finish in department history and matching the highest overall finish in program history.
The Sasser Cup honors the top overall athletic program in the Big South Conference based on regular season and championship finishes across all sponsored sports.
UNC Asheville earned a fourth-place finish in the women's all-sports standings with an average of 5.75 points, marking the program's highest women's finish since 2007 when the Bulldogs also placed fourth.
Asheville's women's teams had a standout 2025-26 campaign, highlighted by runner-up finishes in cross country, volleyball, and golf, while the women's tennis team claimed a share of the Big South Regular Season Championship. Cross country and golf earned the most points on the women's side with eight points each.
Asheville finished tied for fourth in the men's all-sports standings with a 5.25 average. Men's cross country earned the most points among the Bulldogs' men's programs with seven points following a third-place finish at the conference championships. Indoor track and field and men's basketball followed with six points apiece.
Despite finishing fourth in both the women's and men's all-sports standings, Asheville secured third place overall. Radford finished second in the women's standings but last in the men's standings, while USC Upstate placed eighth on the women's side and third on the men's side. Presbyterian College also showed a significant disparity, finishing last in the women's standings while tying Asheville for fourth in the men's standings.
2025-26 Sasser Cup Standings
1. High Point - 9.23
2. Charleston Southern - 6.27
3. UNC Asheville - 5.52
4. USC Upstate - 5.30
5. Radford - 5.22
6. Gardner-Webb - 4.74
7. Winthrop - 4.66
8. Longwood - 4.59
9. Presbyterian College - 3.73
2025-26 Women's All-Sports Award
1. High Point - 9.50
2. Radford - 6.42
3. Charleston Southern - 6.00
4. UNC Asheville - 5.75
5. Longwood - 4.89
6. Gardner-Webb - 4.60
7. Winthrop - 4.444
8. USC Upstate - 4.437
9. Presbyterian College - 2.59
2025-26 Men's All-Sports Award
1. High Point - 8.93
2. Charleston Southern - 6.67
3. USC Upstate - 6.29
T-4. Presbyterian College - 5.25
T-4. UNC Asheville - 5.25
6. Winthrop - 4.93
7. Gardner-Webb - 4.91
8. Longwood - 4.25
9. Radford - 3.68
"Our student-athletes, coaches, and staff continued to elevate the standard for UNC Asheville Athletics throughout the 2025-26 season," said Director of Athletics Janet R. Cone. "I'm especially proud of the outstanding accomplishments of our women's programs, whose success helped produce our highest women's all-sports finish in nearly two decades. Competing at a high level across so many sports reflects the culture, commitment, and momentum we continue to build throughout our department."
For a complete look at the Sasser Cup standings, click here.
