Lambert Trophy Win

December 20, 2009

For the third consecutive year, Cal U’s football team has earned the NCAA Division II Lambert Meadowlands Cup, awarded by the Eastern College Athletic Conference.

Cal U finished atop the final Lambert Meadowlands weekly poll with 120 points. Shippensburg, Edinboro, East Stroudsburg and Bentley (Mass.) universities rounded out the top five.

Joining Cal U as Lambert trophy winners for the 2009 season were Penn State (FBS), Villanova (FCS) and Wesley (NCAA Division III). Only the Nittany Lions and Vulcans were repeat winners in their respective divisions.To be eligible for the Lambert Meadowlands award, a school must be located in the East or play at least half of its schedule against eligible Lambert Meadowlands teams. The territory includes New York, New Jersey, New England and Pennsylvania; teams in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia qualify if at least half their schedule features eligible teamsEstablished in 1936 as the Lambert Trophy, the annual award recognizes supremacy in Eastern college football at all NCAA levels.

Under the guidance of eighth-year head coach John Luckhardt (68-28), the Vulcans compiled an 11-4 overall record in 2009. The team won its fifth consecutive PSAC-West championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II national semifinals for the third straight season.

Over the past three seasons Cal has compiled a 36-7 cumulative record, a perfect 20-0 divisional mark and won seven of 10 NCAA playoff games.