NEW ORLEANS, La. –  Xavier University of Louisiana has captured the 28th annual Gulf Coast Athletic Conference’s Thomas Howell Cup.  The cup is awarded to the athletic department that tallies the most points across all men’s and women’s athletics during the academic year.  Xavier earned 38 points during the 2014-15 campaign,  It is Xavier’s fifth cup win in program history.  Xavier has won the Thomas Howell Cup in each of the past five years giving the school the second longest winning streak in conference history, seven behind the University of Mobile’s streak of 12 in a row from 1988-99.

The Gold Rush earned 13 points in men’s competition this year, good enough for second behind Edward Waters (17 points).  The Gold Nuggets led all women’s programs with 25 points, five better than runner-up Southern University at New Orleans.

Xavier won four conference championships this year.  The Gold Rush won the men’s cross country title with the Nuggets taking the crown in women’s cross country, volleyball, and outdoor track & field crowns.  Xavier was runner-up in men’s and women’s basketball.

XULA beat out runner-up Edward Waters College by eight points in the final Thomas Howell Cup standings.  The Tigers finished with 30 total points.  Dillard University was third with 26 points and Southern University at New Orleans finished fourth with 24 points.  Talladega College finished fifth with 20 points, Philander Smith College and Tougaloo College tied for sixth place with 14 points each and Voorhees College finished eighth with 12 points.

The Xavier University athletic department is led by Athletic Director Jason Horn.

2014-15 Thomas Howell Cup Standings

Place	School	Men’s	Women’s	Total
1,	Xavier University	13	25	38
2.	Edward Waters College	17	13	30
3.	Dillard University	9	17	26
4.	Southern University at New Orleans	4	20	24
5.	Talladega College	11	9	20
T6.	Tougaloo College	8	6	14
T6.	Philander Smith College	5	9	14
8.	Voorhees College	9	3	12

All-Time Thomas Howell Cup Winners

Place	School	Cups
1.	University of Mobile	18
2.	Xavier University	5
3.	Spring Hill College	3
T4.	Louisiana College	1
T4.	Belhaven University	1
T4.	William Carey College	1

Courtesy: GCAC