By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University and Westfield State University remain in a battle for the 2025-26 Howard C. Smith Cup with five sports up for grabs this spring.
The Smith Cup is named in honor of Howard C. Smith, a former Massachusetts State College trustee who had a key role in starting the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference.
The Cup, which was first awarded in the 1972-73 academic year, goes annually to the top athletics program in the MASCAC.
Points are awarded to each school based on where they finish in the conference standings in each sport.
Two-thirds of the way through the 2025-26 athletics calendar, BSU has earned 80 of a possible 100 points (.800) while Westfield State is right behind at .799 (89.5 out of 112 points).
The Smith Cup will be determined in the spring when the baseball, softball, women's lacrosse and men's and women's outdoor track & field seasons take place.
BSU is seeking its first Smith Cup since 2018-19 while Westfield State has won five straight.
Entering the winter season, the Bears were in first with 62.5 of a possible 76 points (.822). The Owls were second (.796, 60.5 of 76 pts).
In the winter, BSU earned 12 points for a first-place finish in women's basketball and five for placing fifth in men's basketball.
Westfield State picked up 12 points for finishing first in men's basketball, nine for tying for second place in men's hockey and eight for being third in women's basketball.
Worcester State (.553) is in third place while Framingham State (.535), Salem State (.470), the Massachusetts Maritime Academy (.421), Fitchburg State (.397), Anna Maria (.385) and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (.268) round out the Smith Cup standings.
During the fall season, BSU was first in three sports, second in two others, third in one and fourth in another.
The Bears won regular season championships in men's cross country, volleyball and men's soccer.