BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- The Alabama State University Athletics Department claimed two of three Southwestern Athletic Conference all-sports awards winning the James Frank Commissioner’s Cup and the Sadie Magee/Barbara Jacket Award. The Jackson State University Athletics Department claimed the C.D. Henry Award.
The all-sports awards are determined by the program that finishes in league-sponsored sports. Each respective team finishes is awarded a point value and the member institutions with the highest point totals after the athletic season are subsequently awarded.
Alabama State won six SWAC championships this past athletic year (163 points) claiming league titles in the sports of Volleyball (regular season), Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field, Men’s Outdoor Track and Field, and Men’s Tennis (regular season/tournament). Jackson State (157.5 points) and Prairie View A&M (132.5) claimed second and third place respectively.
The Tigers won the C.D. Henry Award after accumulating 72.5 points in men’s sponsored sports. Alabama State (69 points) and Texas Southern (57 points) finished in second a third place overall.
Alabama State claimed the Sadie Magee/Barbara Jacket Award finishing with 94 points in the women’s final standings. Jackson State (85 points) and Prairie View A&M (83 points) finished second and third respectively.
A complete listing of final standings and individual program point totals for the three awards can be found below.
2022-23 SWAC Commissioner’s Cup
Alabama State- 163.0
Jackson State- 157.5
Prairie View A&M- 132.5
Southern- 122.5
Texas Southern- 119.5
Grambling State- 112.5
Florida A&M- 104.5
Bethune-Cookman- 101.5
Alcorn State- 94.0
Alabama A&M- 91.5
Arkansas-Pine Bluff- 81.0
Mississippi Valley State- 35.0
WAC C.D. Henry Award
Jackson State- 72.5
AlabamaState-69.0
3.TexasSouthern- 57.0
4.Southern- 55.5
5.Bethune-Cookman- 50.0
6.Prairie View A&M- 49.5
T-7.Florida A&M- 43.5
T-7.Grambling State- 43.5
9. Arkansas-Pine Bluff- 43.0
10. Alcorn State- 40.0
11. Alabama A&M- 36.0
12. Mississippi Valley State- 17.5
2022-23 SWAC Magee/Jacket Award
Alabama State- 94.0
Jackson State- 85.0
Prairie View A&M- 83.0
Grambling State- 69.0
Southern- 67.0
Texas Southern- 62.5
Florida A&M- 61.0
Alabama A&M- 55.5
Alcorn State- 54.0
Bethune-Cookman- 51.5
Arkansas-Pine Bluff- 38.0
Mississippi Valley State- 17.5
About the Dr. James Frank Commissioner’s Cup Award
The Commissioner’s Cup, named for former league commissioner James Frank who led the SWAC from 1983 through 1998, is awarded to the university compiling the highest combined total of men’s and women’s all-sport points.
From 1983 until his retirement in 1998, Dr. Frank served as Commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). He returned to the position as Interim Commissioner in April 2001, where he served for 20 months. During his guidance, the conference evolved to rank among the elite in the nation.
`Dr. James Frank was one of a few individuals who elevated through the collegiate ranks as a student-athlete, coach, educator, college president, and conference commissioner. During a long and distinguished career of over 50 years, Frank’s efforts and influential leadership touched the lives of countless people and resulted in positive changes in the many organizations he served.
About the Magee/Jacket Award
The Magee/Jacket Award is presented to the top women’s athletic program in the SWAC. It is named after former Jackson State women’s basketball coach Sadie Magee and former Prairie View A&M track and field coach Barbara Jacket.
Magee was the first women’s basketball coach at Jackson State, compiling four SWAC regular season titles and three-straight National Association of Women’s Sports National Championships from 1978-1980.
Jacket led Prairie View A&M to eight cross country, nine indoor, and five outdoors SWAC titles from 1965 to 1991. She was also the head coach of the 1992 U.S. Women’s Olympic Track team, bringing home four gold medals, three silver medals, and three bronze medals from Barcelona, Spain.
About the C.D. Henry Award
The Henry Award is presented to the top men’s athletic program in the SWAC. The award is named for C.D. Henry, former Grambling State chairman of the College of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Department from 1958-74, as well as serving as the executive officer and secretary-statistician for the SWAC in 1968-73.
Henry became the first African American assistant commissioner of any conference office when he joined the Big Ten Conference in June of 1974.
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country. Currently, it ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, and Tennis.
Women’s competitions are offered in Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, and Volleyball.
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.
