Long Beach State Claims 2021-22 Dennis Farrell Big West Commissioner's Cup

IRVINE, Calif. (May 29, 2022) – After a two-year hiatus, Long Beach State captured the 2021-22 Dennis Farrell Big West Commissioner’s Cup in record-setting fashion, announced today by The Big West. 

This marks Long Beach State’s ninth Cup, and their first since the 2016-17 season. The Beach accumulated an average of 141.3 points, the largest tally on record since the first cup was awarded after the 1998-99 season. 

“We are proud to win our ninth Big West Commissioner's Cup," Long Beach State Executive Director of Athletics Andy Fee said. "The Commissioner’s Cup is always a top goal for our athletics department and it is a direct result of the amazing talent, grit, and competitiveness of our student-athletes, coaches, support staff, and campus administration led by President Jane Close Conoley.  

“It is an even higher honor to win this trophy now named for former Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell. We will celebrate this incredible accomplishment, and I am confident we will continue to raise the bar and strive for excellence in the future." 

The Beach was propelled to the top of the Cup standings by impressive performances across the board, including three individual sport crowns and maximum points earned in men’s basketball, men’s volleyball and women’s track & field. Additionally, Long Beach State finished third or higher in the sports of women’s basketball, men’s golf, men’s track & field and softball, capping an impressive winter and spring of 2022.  

Sporting a new name after the recent annual spring meetings hosted by The Big West, the Board approved a recommendation from the conference staff to name the Big West Commissioner’s Cup in honor of Dennis Farrell, who served as Big West Commissioner for 28 years before his retirement in 2020. 

“Our membership has nothing but the highest regard for Dennis Farrell, who gave 40 years of meritorious service to The Big West in various roles.” Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly noted. “The Commissioner’s Cup was conceived under his leadership, and it is with tremendous respect that The Big West’s award for broad-based competitive excellence now bears his name.” 

“The Commissioner’s Cup is the top award The Big West provides for overall athletic performance by a member institution, and I am humbled to be honored by The Big West membership in this way,” Dennis Farrell added. “I truly want to thank the many talented staff that worked with me and invested their time and effort behind the scenes to make The Big West successful over my 40 years with the conference." 

Long Beach State was not the only member-institution to raise their game in the 2021-22 Cup standings, with a record three schools surpassing the 130-point mark and six exceeding 100 points in the final standings. 

Hawai’i finished second with 138.0 points, their highest overall finish and points total since joining The Big West as a full member in 2012. The Rainbow Wahine earned three Big West crowns, taking the top points total in women’s volleyball and women’s basketball and sharing top honors in women’s golf. Hawai’i also took home second-place points in the sports of men’s volleyball, women’s water polo, beach volleyball and women’s track & field. 

Cal Poly is slotted in third in the final standings with 130.6 points, also a new program benchmark. The Mustangs earned maximum points in women’s soccer, women’s golf and beach volleyball, with second-place finishes in men’s cross country, women’s tennis and baseball. Cal Poly paced all schools after the fall earning top three finishes in all five sports contested in 2021.  

Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine fill out fourth through sixth place, with 100-plus point totals. Cal State Fullerton was the defending Cup winners, after claiming the award after the 2018-19 season, prior to the pandemic pause. The Titans edged out the Gauchos four fourth after claiming Big West titles in men’s track & field and softball to go along with runner-up finishes in women’s cross country and men’s basketball. UC Santa Barbara scooped up titles in men’s cross country, women’s tennis and baseball and shared the top line in the standings in men’s soccer to close just five-tenths of a point behind Cal State Fullerton.  

UC Irvine earned sixth after sharing the top points totals in both men’s and women’s soccer as well as earning Big West Championship titles in men’s tennis and women’s water polo as the Anteaters closed with 123.8 points. Both Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine’s totals stand as new program highs. 

In determining a victor for the newly-named Dennis Farrell Big West Commissioner’s Cup, points are awarded based on either regular-season finish or Big West postseason results in all 18 conference-sponsored sports, and the member-institution with the highest average point total is declared the winner.  

Regular-season finish determines the designated point tallies in baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, women’s tennis and indoor volleyball. In the sports of cross country, golf, men’s tennis, track & field, women’s beach volleyball and women’s water polo, the points are awarded based on finish at each respective Big West Championship. In the case of ties in all sports, points are awarded by combining points and dividing them equally among the tied teams. For the sport-by-sport breakdown and to view the history of the Dennis Farrell Big West Commissioner’s Cup, please visit bigwest.org/CommissionersCup
2021-22 Dennis Farrell Big West Commissioner's Cup Standings
Place 
School 
Points 
1. 
Long Beach State 
141.3 
2. 
Hawai’i 
138.0 
3. 
Cal Poly 
130.6 
4. 
Cal State Fullerton 
128.6 
5. 
UC Santa Barbara 
128.1 
6. 
UC Irvine 
123.8 
7. 
UC Davis 
99.4 
8. 
UC San Diego 
84.4 
9. 
UC Riverside 
72.0 
10. 
CSUN 
61.2 
11. 
CSU Bakersfield 
55.8 

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