Boston University and College of the Holy Cross jointly announced Friday the inauguration of the Turnpike Trophy, an athletic series between the two Massachusetts schools which will include 21 varsity sports.
“As we enter our third year in the Patriot League, a natural rivalry has been developing with our closest conference counterpart,” said BU director of athletics Drew Marrochello in a release. “The Turnpike Trophy will make every competition between BU and Holy Cross even more special, and it will be something in which our student-athletes, coaches, student bodies and alumni can participate and enjoy.”
The sports participating in the Turnpike Trophy are men’s and women’s soccer, basketball, cross country, lacrosse, rowing, swimming and diving, track and field, field hockey, softball and women’s golf. To determine the winner of the trophy, points will be awarded for head-to-head victories, whether regular season or postseason, or for better finishes at conference championships in cross country, rowing, swimming and diving, track and field and women’s golf. The trophy will be awarded to the school with the most points at the end of the year.
There will be 23 possible points for the taking: 21 for each sport, plus one for each men’s basketball game. Additional points will be awarded for any postseason matchups as well as any meetings in men’s ice hockey.
As neighboring schools with less than 50 miles between them, BU and Holy Cross have a long history of athletics which dates back to 1903, when the two teams met for the first time on the basketball court. In the early 1970s, the schools met once more, this time in the Yankee Conference of the early 1970s and then again when they helped form the ECAC North in 1979.
Following Holy Cross’ departure for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 1983, the two schools were reunited in 2013 when the Terriers joined the Patriot League.
“Given the close proximity of our two schools, it is natural for a rivalry to develop between Holy Cross and Boston University,” said Holy Cross director of athletics Nathan Pine in the release. “This rivalry has intensified since the Terriers joined the Patriot League, and now I expect the Turnpike Trophy will take it to a whole new level. Alumni, parents, students and fans will never have to travel far to see these outstanding match-ups, and our student-athletes and coaches are already looking forward to the opportunity to win the inaugural presentation of the trophy.”
Justin is a former Sports Editor for the Daily Free Press. In the past, he has covered the BU field hockey, men's basketball, women's hockey and women's lacrosse teams. Justin has interned at WEEI.com and serves as Editor-In-Chief of the Cleveland sports blog, Straight Down Euclid. Follow him on Twitter: @just_a_pal
