Rollins College swept the top Sunshine State Conference honors for the third time in school history when they were awarded the Mayor’s Cup Trophy for both men’s and women’s sports.

The award recognizes the top programs in each men’s and women’s divisions among the conference’s nine schools.

The Rollins women retain the Cup for a second straight year and have earned the honor for the fifth time in school history. They earned the maximum nine points in two sports with outright SSC titles in women’s soccer and softball, and were runners-up in women’s basketball and golf. The women’s tennis team took third in the conference.

The Tars totaled 41 points and edged second-place Florida Southern (39.0) by two. Nova Southeastern (37.5), Barry (35.5) and Tampa (34.0) follow the Tars and Mocs in the top-five. The Rollins women also won the Cup after the 1998-99, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2008-09 seasons.

The Rollins men won the trophy with 37 total points behind conference titles by both the soccer and basketball teams. The baseball team finished runner-up this year while the tennis team took third and the golf squad came in fifth.

Florida Southern was second on the men’s side with 34 points. Barry (30.5) finished third with Lynn and Nova Southeastern (27.0) tying for fourth. The Rollins men also earned the cup following the 2002-03 and 2003-04 sports seasons.

First presented following the 1986-87 academic year, the Mayor’s Cup Trophy has traditionally been sponsored by the mayors of the nine communities in which SSC member institutions are located. Points are awarded for each team’s final standing, and depend on how many conference schools sponsor that sport.

In addition to the Tars’ four conference championships in 2009-10, nine sports competed in NCAA postseason play.

Women’s golf finished as runners-up at the NCAA Division II National Championship while the men’s basketball team earned a spot in the championship game of the NCAA South Region Tournament. Women’s soccer advanced into third round of the NCAA tournament and the baseball team finished third in the NCAA South Regional. Softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s golf and men’s soccer also earned postseason bids.

– (Contact Orlando Sports Central at JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com) –