Wesleyan reached a championship milestone, Marist and Westminster continued their all-sports dominance, and two schools won their first Regions Director’s Cups during the 2023-24 school year.
Wesleyan had the GHSA’s top athletic program of the year, winning a state-best nine championships and compiling 1,450 points in capturing the Class 3A Director’s Cup. The Wolves’ state titles in boys and girls lacrosse were the most significant in that they gave the school at least one championship in all 20 sports that the school offers, an unprecedented GHSA achievement. Wesleyan’s other state titles came in fast-pitch softball, girls cross country, boys and girls swimming, boys golf, girls track and field and girls tennis.
“We knew going into this year that boys and girls lacrosse were the only two teams who had not won a state championship, but we also knew they had a chance to do it,” Wesleyan athletic director Lacy Gilbert said. “Our lacrosse program has grown so much over the last few years, with many of the athletes on our varsity teams having come through our lower school and middle school programs and our coaches being dedicated to getting us to where we are today.”
Wesleyan has won seven consecutive Director’s Cups and 13 overall.
The Director’s Cup competition awards points to each school based on its performances in the playoffs and state meets for all GHSA championship sports. Each school’s eight highest-scoring sports for boys and for girls are counted in the standings. A school’s athletic director or other representative must be a current member of the Georgia Athletic Directors Association for the school and its scores to be included in the standings.
The Director’s Cup program began in 1999 and has awarded trophies each year since, with the exception of the 2019-20 school year, when the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the spring sports championships.
Marist and Westminster won Director’s Cups for the 23rd time in 24 years. Westminster won state championships in boys cross country, girls swimming, boys soccer, boys and girls track and field and boys and girls tennis and earned 1,433 points to top the Class 4A standings. Marist won titles in boys and girls cross country, girls basketball, girls soccer and girls tennis, finishing with 1,341 points in Class 6A.
Mount Vernon of Class A Division I and Jefferson of Class 5A were first-time Director’s Cup winners. Mount Vernon won state titles in boys basketball, boys golf and girls tennis and finished with 1,268 points. Jefferson did not win a state championship but had 10 teams record top-five finishes and accumulated 1,166 points. Cambridge, the Class 5A winner in 2023, finished just seven points behind the Dragons in this year’s closest race.
Walton picked up state championships in cheerleading and boys swimming and won the Class 7A competition with 1,289 points, ahead of Buford (1,206) and 2023 winner Lambert (1,196). It was the Raiders’ third Director’s Cup in five years and 10th overall. No school other than Walton or Lambert has won in the highest classification since Brookwood in 2012.
The other two classifications went to repeat winners that earned their first-ever Director’s Cups last year. Mount Paran Christian won state championships in cheerleading, volleyball, girls basketball and boys golf to claim the top spot in Class 2A. Lake Oconee Academy got state titles in girls golf and girls tennis on its way to winning Class A Division II.
REGIONS DIRECTOR’S CUP
Final standings
(Top 10 in each classification)
Class 7A
1. Walton – 1,289
2. Buford – 1,206
3. Lambert – 1,196
4. North Gwinnett – 1,193
5. Carrollton – 1,189
6. West Forsyth – 1,142
7. Milton – 1,081
8. Harrison – 1,061
9. Richmond Hill – 1,025
10. Brookwood – 1,021
Top boys program: Lambert (640)
Top girls programs: Walton (676) and Buford (676)
Class 6A
1. Marist – 1,341
2. Blessed Trinity – 1,220
3. Pope – 1,146
4. Woodward Academy – 1,086
5. North Forsyth – 1,029
6. St. Pius – 951
7. Lassiter – 948
8. Johns Creek – 922
9. Roswell – 889
10. Creekview – 859
Top boys program: Marist (628)
Top girls program: Marist (713)
Class 5A
1. Jefferson – 1,166
2. Cambridge – 1,159
3. Chattahoochee – 1,106
4. McIntosh – 1,100
5. Decatur – 995
6. Greenbrier – 954
7. Harris County – 952
8. Greater Atlanta Christian – 917
9. Northgate – 905
10 (tie). Dalton – 839
10 (tie). Cartersville – 839
Top boys program: Chattahoochee (589)
Top girls program: Cambridge (685)
Class 4A
1. Westminster – 1,433
2. North Oconee 1,367
3. Starr’s Mill – 1,255
4. Pace Academy – 1,046
5. Lovett – 1,035
6. Whitewater – 1,009
7. Central-Carrollton – 1,002
8. Holy Innocents’ – 942
9. LaGrange – 803
10. Heritage-Catoosa – 794
Top boys program: Westminster (720)
Top girls program: Westminster (713)
Class 3A
1. Wesleyan – 1,450
2. Oconee County – 1,214
3. Hebron Christian – 1,123
4. Mary Persons – 982
5. Morgan County – 957
6. Dawson County – 908
7. Savannah Christian – 792
8. Lumpkin County – 788
9. Sandy Creek – 678
10. Hart County – 664
Top boys program: Wesleyan (670)
Top girls program: Wesleyan (780)
Class 2A
1. Mount Paran Christian – 1,193
2. Athens Academy – 1,064
3. Model – 1,061
4. Pierce County – 1,020
5. Fellowship Christian – 946
6. Jeff Davis – 827
7. Vidalia – 795
8. Fannin County – 700
9. Providence Christian – 687
10. ACE Charter 650
Top boys program: Fellowship Christian (536)
Top girls program: Mount Paran Christian (684)
Class A Division I
1. Mount Vernon – 1,268
2. Whitefield Academy – 1,032
3. Prince Avenue Christian – 914
4. Tallulah Falls – 868
5. Mount Pisgah Christian – 817
6. Lamar County – 768
7. Elbert County – 731
8. Paideia – 705
9. East Laurens – 652
10. Social Circle – 639
Top boys program: Mount Vernon (630)
Top girls program: Mount Vernon (638)
Class A Division II
1. Lake Oconee Academy – 967
2. GMC Prep – 815
3. Schley County – 762
4. Charlton County – 628
5. Emanuel County Institute – 623
6. Portal – 566
7 (tie). Jenkins County – 533
7 (tie). Hawkinsville – 533
9. Lanier County – 470
10. Towns County – 435
Top boys program: GMC Prep (439)
Top girls program: Lake Oconee Academy (576)
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