History of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athletics

Claremont began competing in the SCIAC in 1947-48 when Pomona College and Claremont Men’s College combined to form one athletic team (Pomona had been competing by themselves since the SCIAC’s inception in 1915). Pomona - Claremont competed in the SCIAC for 11 years and during that time the team won 25 SCIAC titles. In 1958-59 Claremont Men’s College combined with Harvey Mudd College and began competition as Claremont-Mudd. The team was ineligible for SCIAC championships until 1959-60. The team continued as this entity until the SCIAC began sponsoring women’s sports in 1976-77 at which time it became Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Claremont Men's College became Claremont McKenna College in 1981). The men’s program has won 170 SCIAC titles since its inception. This is more than any other SCIAC school during this same period by 43. The women’s program has won 81 SCIAC titles which is the most among SCIAC schools.  Claremont-Mudd-Scripps is the only team in the SCIAC which has won a conference title in each sport.  We have won all 20 sports at least twice.  Each of the men's teams has repeated as SCIAC champion at least once and have each won at least four titles. Nine of the women's teams have repeated as SCIAC champion.

The SCIAC All-Sports Competition began in 1972-73. This competition awards points to schools based on their finish in the SCIAC standings. In the 39 years of the competition Claremont-Mudd(-Scripps)’ men’s program has won the award 34 times. With the addition of the women’s programs in 1976-77 the competition was expanded to include the women’s sports as well as an overall competition. The women have won 16 All-Sports Trophies including 14 of the last 19. The combined Claremont-Mudd-Scripps athletic program has won the All-Sports Trophy 23 times with victories in 22 of the last 26 years. 2010-11 was another successful year as 11 sports won SCIAC titles and eight sports finished second or third.

Only one other school has won as many as six SCIAC men’s titles in one academic year while CMS has won six or more five times. The most men’s titles CMS has won in one year is eight in 1989-90. CMS is the only school to win six SCIAC women’s titles in one year which the Athenas achieved in 1998-99 and 2010-11. The combined program has won as many as 11 SCIAC titles in one year (2010-11), has won 10 titles twice and nine titles five times. No other program has won more than eight in one year.

In addition to their strong showings in the SCIAC the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps athletic program has also performed well in post-season competition. CMS has won two national titles. Claremont-Mudd won the NAIA swimming crown in 1967 and the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men’s tennis team tied for the NCAA title in 1981. The men’s swimming and tennis teams have also combined to win 11 second place trophies at the NCAA championships. In addition, men’s soccer was the NCAA runner-up in 1983. Overall 19 of the 21 CMS sports have competed in the post-season and 18 have finished in the top 17 including 14 in the top 10.

In 1995-96 the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics began their Director’s Cup Competition for Division III institutions. This competition is similar to the SCIAC All-Sports competition except that points are earned based on national results rather than conference and that there are over 400 eligible schools instead of eight. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps has finished in the top 60 14 times with 11 finishes in the top 40, eight in the top 30, four in the top 20 and a best of eighth. These have been among the best showings by small colleges and was the best result by a SCIAC school 11 of the 16 years.