"It has

been an incredible year," said athletic director Mason Barfield.

"We have come a long way since the inception of our athletic program

12 years ago. With two Peach Belt Conference championships and two runner-up

finishes in the league out of a total of eight sports, this is without

a doubt, our best year ever."

The University

of North Florida won the Commissioner Cup with a rating of .879, earning

95 out of 108 points. Kennesaw State University finished second at .841,

earning 71.5 out of 85 points, followed by Clayton State at .714, earning

55 of 77.

The ratings

are determined by taking the maximum number of points available to each

school, depending on how many sports each has, and dividing by the number

of points won, based on conference finish through the regular season.

The Lakers

brought home PBC championships in both men's soccer and men's basketball,

while finishing second in women's cross country and women's tennis. In

addition, the men's cross country team placed fifth, the women's soccer

team fourth, the women's basketball team eighth and the men's golf team

seventh.

Clayton State's

men's soccer title was its first of the season, winning the conference

championship with an undefeated a 5-0-1 mark in the league. CCSU received

a berth for the second straight season to the NCAA Championships, led

the nation. The Lakers were ranked 13th in the final National Soccer Coaches

Association of America poll.

CCSU's men's

basketball team captured the school's first PBC basketball title, posting

a 19-9 overall and 15-4 record in the league. The championship run was

a remarkable accomplishment, especially since the Lakers had never posted

a winning record in its four prior years of competing in the league. The

team relied on a stingy defense that ranked fourth in opposition scoring

average and second in opponent field goal percentage. One highlight of

the season was a record nine-straight road wins in Peach Belt play.

Clayton State's

women's tennis team was the PBC runner-up in 2002, posting a 16-8 overall

record and a 9-1 mark in the PBC. The Lakers were ranked 10th in the final

Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll and advanced for the first time

to the round of 16 in the NCAA Division II Championships. Clayton State's

appearance in the NCAA quarterfinals capped a two-year run by the Lakers

that includes a 33-11 dual match record, 19-1 record in PBC play and the

2001 Peach Belt Conference Championship.

The Clayton

State women's cross country team raced to a second place finish in the

conference as all five of the Lakers scoring in the PBC meet placed in

the top 20. The finish equaled the women's second place Peach Belt Conference

finish in 1996.

The Peach Belt

Conference, which recently completed its 12th season, conducts championships

in 12 sports for its 12 member schools.

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