PHOTO COURTESY OF BMCC
Northwest Athletic Conference Executive Director Marco Azurdia on Tuesday presented Blue Mountain Community College with the NWAC’s President’s Cup, a prestigious award given to just two colleges (one small and one large) in the conference each year.
This is the first time BMCC has won the President’s Cup, which began three years ago.
The President’s Cup is awarded to institutions based on the academic performance of their athletic teams. The amount of points awarded to each college is determined by student-athletes’ GPAs. The average GPA for BMCC athletes in 2014-2015 was 2.84.
The NWAC awards a President’s Cup to colleges with eight or more sports and to colleges with fewer than eight sports. BMCC won the small school division award. Timberwolves athletics include men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, baseball and softball. In the fall of 2016, BMCC will add women’s soccer, and in the fall of 2017 will add men’s soccer. BMCC also offers men’s and women’s rodeo, but that sport participates outside of the NWAC in the Northwest Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.
“I am so proud of our student-athletes for accomplishing this prestigious achievement,” said BMCC President Cam Preus. “It’s not easy to go to school while also having to go to practice, games and travel. I commend our coaches and athletic department staff for helping these athletes remember that they’re students first, athletes second. This award certainly honors that commitment.”
Azurdia echoed that sentiment when he presented BMCC with the President’s Cup.
“Athletics is really just the carrot, and education and character development is very important for us,” he said. “Our motto is, ‘What good is an increase in knowledge without a change in character.’ And so that’s what we want to be about.”
In addition to the Cup, BMCC also received a special NWAC President’s Cup banner to hang in the McCrae Athletic Center (MAC) to honor the achievement.
BMCC placed second in the President’s Cup standings in 2012-2013 and 8th in 2013-2014.
