SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The University of Wisconsin-Superior have retained the Jerome Kruse Trophy for the fifth year in a row, as the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) revealed its final standings for the 2025-26 year Wednesday.
 
Superior garnered 89.5 points during the 2025-26 season, winning a conference-best seven championships in men's cross country, men's soccer, men's golf, men's indoor track and field, baseball, and men's and women's tennis.
 
Placing second was Northwestern, collecting 78.5 points with titles in women's cross country, women's soccer, volleyball, women's golf, softball and men's tennis. In third place was Bethany Lutheran with 69.5 points with Crown College in fourth with 68.5 points.
 
In fifth place with 61 points was Martin Luther, while Minnesota Morris (50.5) and North Central (28.5) followed in sixth and seventh place, respectively.
 
The trophy was first awarded in the 1996-97 season and is honored after Jerome Kruse, longtime athletic director at both Northwestern and Martin Luther. This recognizes the top athletics department throughout the league each season, traveling to the institution with the most points accumulated by regular season standings of 18 conference-sponsored sports. UWS first won the award in the 2021-22 season.