Boston, Mass. – UMBC jumped five positions in the 2005-06 America East Conference Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup to finish fourth in the annual standings that recognizes the highest scoring athletic program in America East as determined by a points system, which rewards a school for success both during the regular season and at championship competition in the league's 22 sports.  Boston University earned top honors for the fourth time in five years while Binghamton and Albany placed second and third, respectively. 

Boston University tallied 365 points to outdistance second-place Binghamton University, which had 328 points. University at Albany was third with 325 points, followed by UMBC (311), Stony Brook University (296), University of Maine (269), University of New Hampshire (247), University of Vermont (176) and University of Hartford (159).

UMBC’s jump, the largest since Binghamton leaped five spots between the 2002-03 and 2003-04 standings, came with three conference championship titles, two second place championship finishes and two regular season titles.

The UMBC men’s cross country, men’s swimming and diving and men’s lacrosse all captured America East championship titles.  Men’s indoor track and field and women’s swimming and diving finished as runners-up in their respective championships and the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams captured regular season titles.  

The Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup is named in honor of the first commissioner of America East. Haskell served as commissioner of the conference from 1987 until his retirement in 1997.

The scoring system for the Stuart P. Haskell, Jr. Commissioner’s Cup is as follows: In sports where regular-season round robin competition is conducted, the first-place institution in the final standings receives four points times the total number of teams involved in conference play. The second-place institution receives four less points; third place receives eight less points, and so on. Additionally, the America East (tournament) champion receives two points times the total number of teams participating in the championship. The second-place institution receives two less points; third place receives four less points and so on down to the last-place institution which receives two points.

In sports where regular-season round robin competition is not conducted (cross country, golf, tennis, track and field, swimming and diving), the first-place institution at the America East championship receives two points times the total number of teams participating in the championship. The second-place institution receives two less points; third place gets four less points and so on down to the last place team which receives two points.