Trinity Claims First SCAC Bell Trophy Since 2005

San Antonio - Trinity's athletics program has reclaimed the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference President's Trophy - the Bell - for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

A 300-pound railroad bell is awarded to the conference's best overall sports program for a particular academic year.  The Bell has been a part of the SCAC's history since its inception in 1962, and was donated by the Norfolk and Western Railroad.

The 2011-12 conference season came to a close last weekend, and eight Tiger spring sports vaulted Trinity to its 12th overall victory in the President's Trophy competition.  Trinity won seven consecutive Bell Trophies from 1993-94 to 1999-00, then four more from 2001-02 until 2004-05.  The Tigers have finished second each of the past six seasons.

Trinity won the SCAC Championship in men's and women's tennis this past weekend, as well as finishing second in softball and women's track & field.  The Tigers went from a slim 15-point margin after the winter standings, to a 40-point victory over second-place Centre College.  Trinity scored a total of 790 points.

Trinity competes in 18 intercollegiate sports - nine men and nine women - while there are 21 total sports sponsored by the SCAC.  Each conference school receives points based on how they finish in all 21 sports.

"I am surprised but excited to hear the news about the Bell Trophy," said Trinity Athletics Director Bob King. "Without three of the SCAC's 21 sponsored sports, we had resigned ourselves to the belief that this would be a difficult achievement at best. To win it in this fashion is a testament to the hard work put in by our student-athletes and coaches - not just in the spring sports, but year round. This truly demonstrates that Trinity is producing a broad-based intercollegiate athletics program."

During the 2011-12 school year, Trinity also won SCAC Championships in football, women's soccer, men's basketball, men's swimming & diving, and women's swimming & diving.  The Tiger women's cross country and volleyball teams also finished second.

None of Trinity's teams finished worse than fifth in the conference this past season, while 13 of the 18 sports were in the top three.