When
Sacramento State third baseman David Flores scooped up a ground ball and threw
to Brian Blauser at first base on April 25, it not only secured the squad’s
9-6 win over UC Davis, it wrapped up the 2006 Causeway Cup competition between
the Hornets and Aggies.
In just its second
year of existence, the Causeway Cup—a competition between Sacramento State
and UC Davis that awards points for each event in which the two programs compete—has
rekindled a rivalry between two athletic programs that have battled head-to-head
for the better part of six decades.
In all, the Hornets and
Aggies competed against one another 27 times this year in 18 sports sponsored
by both programs. When the dust settled, Sacramento State had proven the victor
in 17 of those meetings and outdistanced UC Davis, 66.25 to 38.75.
“I am proud
of our coaches and student-athletes,” Sacramento State Director of Athletics
Terry Wanless said. “UC Davis has a strong and successful athletic program
that we greatly respect.
“We have been committed
to sponsoring a broad-based athletic department at Sacramento State and I really
believe that a victory in the Causeway Cup speaks to our real strength as a
program. Our success lies not in the accomplishments of one or two sports, but
in the overall level of excellence throughout the entire program.”
Although Sacramento State
and UC Davis began competing against one another on the athletic field in 1948,
differences in conference affiliations and NCAA classification have limited
the number of competitions between the two schools over the last 15 years.
With the Aggies’ recent
move to NCAA Division I status, the two programs have committed to renew their
rivalry in 18 sports that both schools sponsor on an annual basis.
When
Sacramento State third baseman David Flores scooped up a ground ball and threw
to Brian Blauser at first base on April 25, it not only secured the squad’s
9-6 win over UC Davis, it wrapped up the 2006 Causeway Cup competition between
the Hornets and Aggies.