CHARLOTTE, N.C. – High Point University sits atop the Big South Conference's updated 2019-20 Sasser Cup standings with an average of 9.36 points. The standings are through the first round of the Hercules Tires Big South Women's Basketball Championship, as the remaining rounds and all spring sports were canceled on March 18 due to COVID-19.  Per approved recommendations by the Big South Awards Committee, the Conference is not declaring Sasser Cup or All-Sport champions for 2019-20.
 
The Panthers are also in first place on the women's side with an average of 10.30 points and sit in second-place in men's competition with an 8.18 clip. HPU claimed the most points of any school in women's cross country (12), women's indoor track and field (12), and men's indoor track and field (12) after claiming the Big South Championship in those respective sports. The Panthers also earned 9.75 points in women's soccer.
 
High Point earned the Big South Regular Season Championship in women's soccer during the 2019-20 season while also claiming conference titles in women's cross country, men's track & field and women's track & field. Individually, HPU's Famke Heinst won Big South women's cross country runner of the year honors while head coach Remy Tamer earned coach of the year. Sam Gerhart was named the conference's women's soccer freshman of the year and head coach Brandi Fontaine earned coach of the year. Camryn Brown won the Big South women's basketball player of year honors, while Zoe Geis claimed women's indoor track & field most valuable athlete of the year. Head coach Mike Esposito won indoor track & field coach of the year honors on both the men's and women's side.
 
The Sasser Cup Trophy is named for former Big South Commissioner Buddy Sasser and is awarded to the Big South member institution with the most successful year athletically, based on an average points system. Points are awarded for both regular-season and tournament finishes in each of the League's 19 championships, and the average of the combined total is used to determine the overall point allocation in the respective sport. One bonus point is added to the average total for each Conference Champion/AQ representative, as well as any teams that receive at-large NCAA Championships berths.  Teams tied in regular-season or tournament play split the points earned. Each member's overall point totals are then divided by the number of sports sponsored by that school to determine the average.
 
High Point continues to be on the rise in the Sasser Cup after earning its first runner-up honors last season. HPU won its first Big South Team Award during the 2017-18 season, taking top honors on the women's side with an average of 9.44 (75.5 total points) and followed that up in 2018-19 for the second-straight year winning with 78.75 points.
 
 
HPU in the Sasser Cup the Past 5 seasons
Year                Rank   Score
2018-19           2nd      9.05
2017-18           3rd       8.28    
2016-17           3rd       7.73
2015-16           4th       7.73
2014-15           3rd       8.38