In a recent poll of the 2018-19 Capital One Cup standings, the Weber State University men’s athletic programs are currently ranked 19th with 15 points.

The Wildcats are tied with the University of Florida Gators and the Wake Forrest Demon Deacons and just three points behind 17th placed Kentucky Wildcats and the University of Maine Black Bears.

Big Sky teams such as Weber State, Northern Arizona (15) and Eastern Washington (4) are all ranked in the top 20.

“It shows the validity of our program,” said athletic director Jerry Bovee. “To have a National Championship (NAU’s Cross Country) in our conference and Eastern Washington going to the National Championship shows the level of competition our conference.”

With the FCS national ranking of sixth, the ‘Cats were boosted into the top 25 of the men’s standings.

Each year, the Capital One Cup honors the top Division 1 men’s and women’s college athletic programs in the country.

Athletic programs are separated into two groups based on the popularity and pool of competition.

Group A consists of cross country, skiing, rifle, water polo, indoor and outdoor track and field, fencing, swimming and diving, ice hockey, gymnastics, tennis and golf. Group B includes football, basketball, lacrosse and baseball.

The Capital One Cup gives $200,000 in scholarships to the winning program’s athletic department and be honored on ABC’s the ESPYS in July, with the most recent winner being Stanford University in 2017-18.

Other big name universities like Virginia, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Florida have taken home the Capital One Cup the past five years.

With a strong performance from winter and spring sports, WSU has the opportunity to bring home the the cup for the first time ever in the Capital One Cup seven year history.

“It’s a benchmark of what we want to achieve,” Bovee said. “If our winter sports were to win the Big Sky and get into the tournament, it’s going to get us points. Our goal is to be competing in the NCAA Championship level.”