The Gustavus men’s athletic program has claimed the George Durenberger trophy for winning the MIAC All-Sports competition. The women’s program, which finished second, had its string of three consecutive All-Sports titles ended by St. Thomas. This is the fifth time that the men’s program has won the MIAC All-Sports title, however it is the first time since the 1974-75 school year.
The Gustie men totalled 92.5 points to finish 4.5 points ahead of second place St. Thomas which compiled 88 points. Gustavus won MIAC titles in basketball, swimming, nordic skiing, golf and tennis, while finishing second in men’s soccer and third in baseball and hockey. The Gusties sponsor 12 varsity teams in MIAC competition. Gustavus also claimed MIAC Post-Season Tournament titles in men’s basketball and men’s soccer although those titles do not contribute to the all-sports competition.
The Gustavus women totalled 105 points to finish three points behind first place St. Thomas which compiled 108 points. The women’s program claimed four conference titles including cross country, swimming, nordic skiing and tennis. In addition, the Gusties posted second place finishes in hockey and indoor track and field and third place finishes in golf, women’s basketball, and outdoor track and field.
A traveling All-Sports Trophy is awarded to the college that accumulates the best all-sports record during the MIAC academic year. The MIAC All-Sports trophy had its beginning in the 1963-64 school year, when Bob Schabert, who, at the time, covered the MIAC for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, began determining men’s all-sports results. The current men’s trophy, the George Durenberger Trophy, was donated by Saint John’s University beginning in the 1972-73 school year. The women’s trophy, the Pat Wiesner Trophy, was donated by Macalester College beginning in the 1983-84 school year, a year after women’s sports competition began in the MIAC.