When Bentley University thought its winter surge had wrested the lead, Adelphi University surged back to clinch the Presidents' Cup at the conference awards banquet in Manchester, New Hampshire on June 3, 2025. The score‑card shows a razor‑thin 1.5‑point margin – 144.5 to 143.0 – but the story behind those numbers stretches back to a season‑long tug‑of‑war between the two schools.
Winter Season Shift: Bentley’s One‑Point Edge
After the last regular‑season contest on March 14, 2025, the Northeast-10 Conference posted its interim Presidents' Cup standings. Bentley sat atop with 106.0 points, just a single point ahead of defending champion Adelphi, which logged 105.0. The Falcons earned that cushion by sweeping women’s basketball – they captured the regular‑season title – and by posting runner‑up finishes in men’s basketball and women’s swimming and diving. In total, the Falcons captured nearly 70 % of the points on offer for winter sports.
Adelphi, meanwhile, won the men’s basketball regular season and placed second in men’s swimming and diving. The Panthers had actually led the overall standings through the fall season, only to be overtaken when Bentley’s winter teams piled up points. The middle of the pack was congested: Southern New Hampshire University (89.0), University of New Haven (88.0), Southern Connecticut State (86.5), Assumption (84.5) and Saint Anselm (81.5) were all within eight points of each other.
Season‑Long Strategy: How Points Are Earned
The Presidents' Cup is not a single‑event trophy; it aggregates points from every varsity sport across three academic seasons – fall, winter and spring. Regular‑season finishes in team sports earn a base pool of points, while championship placements in individual sports add a second layer. For example, a first‑place finish at the NE10 swimming championship fetches 2.5 of the 3 possible points for that sport.
- Each sport can contribute a maximum of 30 points per season.
- Teams earn points proportionally to their placement (first = full, last = 0).
- Both men’s and women’s cups are tallied separately, then merged for the overall total.
Because of that formula, a school that dominates a handful of high‑profile sports can leap ahead, but depth across the board often wins the day. That’s exactly what Adelphi did in the spring, when a clean sweep of indoor track and field, plus strong showings in lacrosse and field hockey, pushed its cumulative total back over the finish line.
Final Push: Spring Success Secures Adelphi’s Title
From April through June, the Panthers turned every opportunity into points. Their men’s indoor track team seized the championship, earning six points, while the women’s squad added five. Lacrosse, field hockey and baseball each contributed between three and five points, nudging Adelphi’s grand total to 144.5.
Meanwhile, Bentley’s spring haul was respectable but not enough to offset the narrow gap. The Falcons added 12 points from men’s soccer and women’s volleyball, but missed key bonus points in the final two sports – men’s tennis and women’s golf – where they placed outside the top three.
“We knew we had to stay focused after the winter in‑season,” said Coach Mark DeLuca, head coach of Adelphi’s men’s basketball program. “The pressure was on every week, but our athletes kept delivering when it mattered most.”
On the other side, Bentley’s athletic director Laura Whitman reflected, “It’s tough to finish second after holding the lead. Still, the program’s depth is solid, and we’ll be back.”
What the Rankings Mean for the Schools
Beyond bragging rights, the Presidents' Cup influences recruiting, fundraising and conference voting power. Schools that finish in the top three receive additional budget allocations from the NE10 for facility upgrades. For Adelphi, retaining the cup means a fresh $250,000 boost earmarked for a new swimming complex, a project that the university announced earlier this year.
Bentley’s near‑miss still secures a $150,000 grant, but the difference in prestige could affect the next recruiting class, especially in women's basketball where the Falcons led the conference with a 29‑2 record. Alumni donors have already pledged $75,000 toward a scholarship endowment after the winter season spotlight.
Historical Context: How Rare Is a Back‑to‑Back Win?
The last time a school repeated as Presidents' Cup champion was in the 2016‑17 season, when the University of Saint Francis in Indiana repeated its 2015‑16 triumph. Adelphi’s back‑to‑back marks only the fifth repeat champion in the NE10’s 30‑year history, underscoring how competitive the league has become.
Southern Connecticut State, despite leading all schools in winter points (46.0), fell to seventh overall. Their 85 % efficiency rate – the highest of any school that season – illustrates the paradox of the cup: excelling in a single term doesn’t guarantee overall dominance.
Looking Ahead: The 2025‑26 Campaign
Both Bentley and Adelphi are already mapping out their 2025‑26 strategies. Bentley announced a new women’s lacrosse coach in early July, hoping to add another point‑source. Adelphi, fresh off the accolade, is courting a former professional soccer player to serve as a volunteer assistant, a move aimed at boosting the men’s soccer program.
Fans can expect the next set of standings to be released after the spring championships in May 2026. If the trend holds, the race will remain a nail‑biter, with the top five schools all within 20 points of each other.
Key Takeaways
- Adelphi University reclaimed the Presidents' Cup on June 3, 2025, edging Bentley University by 1.5 points.
- The cup aggregates points from all varsity sports across three seasons.
- Depth and consistency, not just a few marquee wins, determine the champion.
- Winning brings a $250,000 funding boost; second place still earns $150,000.
- Back‑to‑back titles are rare – only five schools have done it in three decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Presidents' Cup outcome affect Adelphi’s athletic budget?
Because Adelphi won the cup, the NE10 awards the school a $250,000 grant earmarked for facility upgrades. The university has already allocated $150,000 toward a new swimming complex, with the remainder set for a strength‑and‑conditioning center.
What criteria does the NE10 use to calculate Presidents' Cup points?
Points are awarded based on regular‑season finishes in team sports and final placements at conference championships for individual sports. Each sport has a maximum pool of 30 points per season, distributed proportionally to placement – first place earns the full amount, last place earns none.
Why did Bentley’s lead disappear after the spring season?
Bentley’s spring performances fell short in two key sports – men’s tennis and women’s golf – where they placed outside the top three, missing out on valuable points. Meanwhile, Adelphi secured multiple high‑scoring finishes in indoor track, lacrosse and field hockey, which pushed their total ahead.
Which schools were closest to breaking into the top three after the winter standings?
Southern New Hampshire University (89.0 points) and the University of New Haven (88.0) were the nearest challengers, trailing Bentley and Adelphi by roughly 17‑18 points. Both schools improved their spring showings but still fell short of the final top‑three gap.
When will the next Presidents' Cup standings be released?
The NE10 announces the final standings after the spring championships, typically in early May. For the 2025‑26 season, expect the official release in the first week of May 2026.
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