The Howard C. Smith Cup is named in honor of
former Massachusetts State College Trustee Smith, who in 1970,
urged the athletic directors of the eight State Colleges to hold a
series of meetings to discuss the possibility of forming an
intercollegiate conference. In June of 1971, Smith’s dream
became a reality as an affirmative agreement was reached and the
MASCAC was created.
During the MASCAC’s first year of existence, the eight member Colleges voted to award a Cup annually to the one institution which excelled in the league’s eight championship sports. Thus, the Howard C. Smith Cup was established.
The Smith Cup, which was updated in the summer of 2007, is awarded
to the MASCAC institution which compiles the most points based on
the placement of each its programs competing in the 13 league
championships.
Following the 2003-2004 academic year, the Cup returned to
Bridgewater State for the second straight year, the seventh time in
the past ten years and eighth time overall. Salem State has claimed
19 of 32 Smith Cups overall while Westfield State, the current
two-time defending champion, has won outright or shared the
cup seven times.
