OGDEN, Utah -- For the third time in the six‑year history of the award, Weber State University has captured the Big Sky Conference Sterling Savings Bank Presidents' Cup.

Weber State claimed the prestigious award in 2002‑03, the first year the honor was given. The Wildcats repeated in 2003‑04.

"In our mind, this is the most important award given by the Big Sky Conference,'' said Dr. Norm Tarbox, Weber State's Vice President of Administrative Services. "We've taken it three out of six years. We are thrilled to be back on top.''

"We're so proud of our student‑athletes on and off the field,'' said Weber State Athletics Director Jerry Graybeal. "Obviously our department believes in the mission statement of Weber State. This Presidents' Cup title reinforces the mission statement. We are so very, very fortunate to have a faculty and administration that goes well above and beyond for the student‑athletes in their academic pursuits.''

The Sterling Savings Bank Presidents' Cup is unique to collegiate athletics in that it reinforces the Big Sky's dedication to the academic side of the student‑athlete experience. Team grade point averages, graduation rates and number of All‑Conference performers with a grade point average above 3.0 are used to determine the academic side.

Athletic points are determined by regular‑season standings for football, soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, and men's and women's tennis. Finishes in the Big Sky Championships for men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, and golf are also used to determine points.

Weber State finished third in the athletic portion of the competition, averaging 9.64 points per sport. Weber State did not win a conference championship, but was near the top of the standings in nearly every sport. The Wildcats started the 2007‑08 athletic season with runner‑up finishes in men's and women's cross country. The Wildcats were also second in men's and women's indoor track and field. Weber State tied for second in soccer. The Wildcats finished third in men's tennis, third in men's basketball, and third in men's outdoor track and field. Weber State also finished fourth in volleyball and tied for fourth in football.

Weber State won the academic portion of the competition, which catapulted the Wildcats to the title. Weber State scored the league's top graduation rate. Its teams compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.18, and 33 Wildcat All‑Conference student‑athletes registered GPAs of 3.0 or better.

The Wildcat men's cross country team finished with a team GPA of 3.48. Weber State's women's golf team and women's tennis team each had team GPAs of 3.34. Eleven of Weber State's 14 Big Sky Conference athletic teams finished with a GPA higher than 3.0.

"We had a consistent, high performance on the athletic side,'' Tarbox said. "Although we didn't win a championship, we were in the top half of almost every sport, and we had a rock‑solid performance on the academic side.''

Northern Arizona University finished second in the Presidents' Cup standings, followed by The University of Montana, which won the 2006‑07 Cup. Northern Arizona won the men's All‑Sports Trophy, and finished first in the athletic portion with an average of 10.8 points per sport.

Overall, it was another banner year for Big Sky student‑athletes in the classroom. Of the 125 Big Sky teams, 78 finished with an average GPA of at least 3.0. Eight of the nine institutions compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Eastern Washington led the way with a cumulative GPA of 3.20, followed by Montana State at 3.19, and Weber State at 3.18. Eastern Washington's women's basketball team registered the league's top GPA at 3.56. A total of 210 all‑conference athletes finished with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

"We congratulate Weber State on its third Sterling Savings Bank Presidents' Cup in six years,'' said Big Sky Conference Commissioner Doug Fullerton. "The Wildcats showed just how important academics are in this award. They are the first institution to win the Presidents' Cup without winning a regular‑season or postseason championship."

"It was an extremely close race again this year,'' Fullerton added. "To have eight of our nine schools bring home cumulative GPA higher than 3.0 is an outstanding achievement. We thank Sterling Savings Bank for its support, and once again congratulate Weber State for a fantastic year in the classroom and on the field.''