Providence College: The Best Men’s Sports Program in US Per Capita

Friday, August 14, 2015

Jonathan Sigal, GoLocalProv Contributor

PC National Champs

A GoLocalProv review of all NCAA Division I sports teams found that per capita Providence College had the most successful men’s athletic program in the US in the 2014-2015 season.

For a small, Catholic college with fewer than 4,000 undergrads, Providence College’s athletic accomplishments may be unmatched in college sports.

While PC has a legacy of success in Men’s basketball and cross country, last season’s men’s sports accomplishment was unmatched in college sports.

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"We’re thrilled by the success and it’s a tribute to not only the hard work of the athletes and coaches, but also the support from the administration and college,” Arthur Parks, Associate Athletic Director at PC said in an interview with GoLocalProv.

SEE SLIDES BELOW: Top 10 Capital One Cup Schools Per Capita

How Good Was PC?

The measuring stick for college sports program is a competition by which each year NCAA Division I teams fight for the Capital One Cup, “the Cup is awarded annually to each of the best men's (and women's) Division I college athletics programs in the country."

Providence College has 1,638 male undergraduate students, earned a point for every 32.76 of its male undergraduate students. The Friars also finished the year with 50 total points to put them at 13th in the overall rankings.

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PC Greats - Dave Gavitt, Marvin Barnes and Ernie D.

The athletic program, while producing dozens of NBA players and a range of successes in other sports, this past season was unmatched per capita. From Basketball Hall of Famers like Lenny Wilkens and John Thompson to two-time Stanley Cup winner Chris Terreri, PC has always produced a disproportionate amount of stars.

Driving PC’s strong performance during the 2014-15 academic year was the men’s soccer team and men’s hockey team.

"Father Shanley has been very supportive of the athletic department. It’s very exciting and at the end of the day it comes down to the athletes not only being successful on the field, but off the field too. The support we’ve received from the college and the fan base has made this all happen,’ said Parks.

GoLocal's review standardized the performances based on number of undergraduate students -- a measure that made the performances equalized. According to the GoLocal analysis, Providence College was the most successful athletic program in America this past academic year.

The Results

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PC Men's Soccer

The Friar’s men’s soccer team provided PC with 30 points after finishing third in the NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division 1 Men’s Rankings.

They advanced to the semi-final round of the NCAA College Cup and won the Big East Tournament. Both feats were firsts for Craig Stewart’s team, which finished the year with a 16-5-2 record.

Meanwhile, the men’s hockey team earned the Friars 20 points after finishing first in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Men's College Hockey Poll. PC finished the year with a 26-13-2 record and defeated Hockey East rival Boston University 4-3 in the national title game. It was the first time that PC hockey had won a national championship.

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Lenny Wilken, PC Great and Hall of Famer

Historical Context

PC’s Capital One Cup finish this year is even more impressive when placed in historical context. The Friars did not earn a single point in the Capital One Cup in the 2010-11, 2011-12, or 2012-13 school years, and managed only two points in the 2013-14 school year.

For the top 10 men's Capital One Cup schools per capita, see the slides below:

Related Slideshow: Top 10 Men’s Capital One Cup Schools Per Capita

The Capital One Cup is awarded annually to the best Division I college athletic programs in the country based on championship results and final poll rankings.

Here's a look at the top 10 men's finishers per capita.