SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — The South Dakota women have won the 2025-26 Summit League Dr. Helen Smiley Women's All-Sport Award, the league office announced Wednesday morning following the Joint Council Meetings' Dinner on Tuesday night.
 
The Coyote women secured 51.5 team points, narrowly topping South Dakota State (50.5 pts.) and North Dakota State (49 pts.). South Dakota earned the award for the eighth time in the last 11 years, winning the 2025-26 award after consistent performances throughout the 2025-26 seasons to secure the award in one of the tightest finishes in award history.
 
North Dakota State took the combined Commissioner's Cup (men's + women's points combined) with 87 team points. South Dakota State finished second with 81.5 points, followed by the Yotes with 80.5 points.
 
The NDSU men took home the Dr. William Stenbrecher Men's All-Sport Award with 38 points. The Coyote men finished third with 29 points.
 
ABOUT THE COMMISSIONER'S CUP & ALL-SPORTS AWARDS
The Cup is given annually to the member institution that collects the most combined points in relationship to its placement in the regular season standings for men's and women's soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's tennis, softball and baseball and its championship placement in men's and women's cross country, swimming and diving, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field and golf.
 
The All-Sports Awards are given to the institutions that accumulate the most points in men's sports and women's sports. The men's award is named for former Valparaiso Director of Athletics Dr. William Steinbrecher, who guided the Crusaders from 1979-2004, while the women's award is named for former Western Illinois Director of Athletics Dr. Helen Smiley, who headed WIU's athletic program from 1994-2001.