JONESBORO, Ark. (12/15/24) – The Sun Belt Conference recently announced updated standings for the 2024-25 Bubas Cup, the league's annual all-sports award, and the Red Wolves stand tied for third after piling up 46.5 points through five sports scored.
A-State's points total is its most for a fall semester since the Sun Belt's inaugural football season in 2001. The Red Wolves have 8.5 more points than they did at the same time a year ago, when they went on to place fourth in the final standings for their best finish since 2015-16.
Trailing second-place Appalachian State by only one point and leader Texas State by 4.5 points, Arkansas State is currently tied with Marshall. The Red Wolves are averaging 9.3 points per sport compared to their 7.9 for the entire 2023-24 year.
"We're proud of the early success our programs have achieved this year and the job they've done setting the tone for our winter and spring sports," said A-State Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Jeff Purinton. "Our Bubas Cup results thus far reflect the hard work and dedication of our coaching staffs and student-athletes, and we're looking forward to carrying the momentum we've built into the upcoming spring semester."
Three of A-State's five fall sports either improved or matched their points scored last year, including football, volleyball and men's cross country.
Winning its first outright Sun Belt Conference regular-season title since 2015, the volleyball squad led all A-State teams in the fall with 14.0 points that were the program's most in the history of the Bubas Cup. The Red Wolves advanced to the Great 8 of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) and completed the season with 28 victories to tie their most in the rally-scoring era that began in 2001.
A-State's football team contributed 10.0 points, its most since 2017-18, to the Red Wolves' score. This year's team is set to compete in the 68 Ventures Bowl on Dec. 26, marking the second straight season the program is making a bowl-game appearance. The Red Wolves finished tied for second place in the Sun Belt's West Division, while also securing their first winning campaign since 2019.
Arkansas State's men's and women's cross country teams combined to score 20.0 points after both squads finished runner-up at the Sun Belt championships. Since 2019, the Red Wolves have finished third or better at the league championships.
The men's team collected at least 8.0 Bubas Cup points for the fourth consecutive year, while the women's team picked up 12.0 points to mark the sixth straight year scoring in double digits. Women's soccer added 2.5 points after completing the year with four wins and six ties.
The next Bubas Cup update is expected to be announced following the completion of the Sun Belt Conference's winter sports, which will include men's and women's indoor track and field and men's and women's basketball.
