KINGSPORT, Tenn. — According to a release from the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) office on Monday afternoon, the Montreat College Athletics Department concluded fourth in the 2025-26 Duard Walker All-Sports Trophy standings. On the men's side, the Cavaliers accrued the fourth-most points (137.5). Meanwhile, the Cavs accumulated 117 points on the women's side, sixth-best in the AAC.
 
In total, Montreat garnered 254.5 points to end fourth overall for the fourth consecutive year. Milligan University won the men's, women's and combined trophies with 442.5 points. Reinhardt University (351.5 points) and Tennessee Wesleyan University (270 points) also finished ahead of the Cavaliers. The Cavs bested fifth-place University of Pikeville by 4.5 points.
 
Institutions earned points based on their teams' regular season finishes, unless the given sport only hosted a championship event (e.g., cross country, track & field, swimming & diving). Points were assigned as follows: first place received 30 points, second place received 25 points, third place received 20 points, fourth place received 15 points, fifth place received 12 points, sixth place received 11 points, seventh place received 10 points, eighth place received nine points, ninth place received eight points, 10^th place received seven points, 11^th place received six points, 12^th place received five points, 13^th place received four points, 14^th place received three points, 15^th place received two points and 16^th place received one point. In the event of a tie, the points were shared (e.g., two teams tying for first place each received 27.5 points).
 
A trio of top-three finishes buoyed Montreat's point total in the men's championships. The Cavaliers wrapped up the cross country and indoor track & field seasons as the league's runners-up, and they also secured a third-place finish during the outdoor track & field season. Those three marks accounted for 70 points in the men's and overall standings. Men's tennis added a top-five mark as well, wrapping up its regular season in fifth.
 
Meanwhile, the Cavs also relied on high-scoring women's efforts in cross country and track & field competitions. At the AAC Cross Country Championships, Montreat notched a runner-up showing. That effort was followed by finishing third and fourth at the league's indoor and outdoor track & field meets, respectively. In total, those performances delivered 60 points for the women's and overall team standings.
 
The AAC Duard Walker All-Sports Trophy was established as a way of recognizing member institutions with the most successful all-around athletics departments for the year. Member colleges compete in 24 sports. On the men's side, that list includes baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, volleyball and wrestling. On the women's side, it includes basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field and volleyball.
 
The trophy was named the Duard Walker All-Sports Trophy in 2000 in honor of Coach Duard Walker, who retired that year after 50 years of service to Milligan as a teacher, coach and athletics director. Walker was named the NAIA Athletics Director of the Year for 2001. He was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 2008.
 
For a look at the full 2025-26 AAC Duard Walker All-Sports Trophy standings, click here.