History of the Sterling Cup
Named for the Town of Sterling which lies halfway between both Universities, the "Sterling Cup" was started in 1990 by the student government associations of both schools to build a traditional rivalry between Fitchburg State University and Worcester State University.
The rules were tweaked along the way by Hall of Fame sports information directors Bruce Baker of Worcester State and Dave Marsh of Fitchburg State.
At the end of the spring season, one school is honored with the coveted Sterling Cup trophy, symbolizing dominant success over the opposing school. One point is awarded to the regular season winner in each of the 16 NCAA sponsored sports. At the end of the year, the school with the most points is deemed the Sterling Cup Champion.
For sports that play multiple times in the same season, the team must win twice in regular season head-to-head competition to earn the full point, if not, then the point is split. In the event of an overall tie at the end of the season, the institution holding the Sterling Cup must relinquish it to the rival university for the next year.
During the 2010-11 season, the field was expanded by six varsity sports to include the cross country and track & field based upon the results of each squad at their conference championship. Women's volleyball was removed from the equation in 2003 and women's lacrosse was added during the 2007-08 season.
2024-25 Sterling Cup Results
| Sport | Game-By-Game Results | WSU Points | FSU Points |
| Men's Cross XC* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Women's XC* | Worcester State | 1 | 0 |
| Football | Worcester State, 1-0 (20-14) | 1 | 0 |
| Field Hockey | Tie, 1-1 (L 0-3, W 2-1 SO)) | .5 | .5 |
| Men's Soccer | Worcester State, 1-0 (3-0) | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Soccer | Worcester State, 1-0 (1-0) | 1 | 0 |
| Volleyball | Worcester State, 1-0 (3-2) | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Basketball | Worcester State, 2-0 (83-69, 77-69) | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Basketball | Worcester State, 2-0 (72-53, 88-59) | 1 | 0 |
| Ice Hockey | Tie, 1-1 (Fitch 6-1, W 4-3) | .5 | .5 |
| Men's Indoor Track* | No MASCAC Indoor 2024-25 | 0 | 0 |
| Women's Indoor Track* | No MASCAC Indoor 2024-25 | 0 | 0 |
| Baseball | Worcester State, 2-1 (11-5, 0-1, 9-7) | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Lacrosse | Worcester State, 1-0 (20-7) | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Outdoor Track* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Womens Outdoor Track* | Worcester State | 1 | 0 |
| Softball | Worcester State, 2-0 (11-2, 9-0) | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Worcester State | 12 | 3 |
*Cross Country along with Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field are computed based upon the better finish at the MASCAC Championships in each season of play.
Last Years Results:
2023-24 Sterling Cup Results
| Sport | Game-By-Game Results | WSU Points | FSU Points |
| Men's Cross XC* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Women's XC* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Football | Worcester State, 1-0 (33-13) | 1 | 0 |
| Field Hockey | Worcester State, 2-0 (5-1, 3-2) | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Soccer | Worcester State, 1-0 (3-0) | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Soccer | Worcester State, 1-0 (4-2) | 1 | 0 |
| Volleyball | Worcester State, 1-0 (3-0) | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Basketball | Worcester State, 2-0 (75-53 & 72-64) | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Basketball | Tie, 1-1 (77-81, 79-50) | .5 | .5 |
| Ice Hockey | Fitchburg State, 0-3 (3-4, 1-6, 1-3) | 0 | 1 |
| Men's Indoor Track* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Women's Indoor Track* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Baseball | Worcester State, 2-1 (4-9, 16-3, 7-6) | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Lacrosse | Worcester State, 1-0 (18-7) | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Outdoor Track* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Womens Outdoor Track* | Worcester State | 1 | 0 |
| Softball | Worcester State, 2-0 (5-4, 1-0) | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Worcester State | 10.5 | 6.5 |
*Cross Country along with Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field are computed based upon the better finish at the MASCAC Championships in each season of play.
2022-23 Sterling Cup Results
| Sport | Game-By-Game Results | WSU Points | FSU Points |
| Men's Cross XC* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Women's XC* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Football | Worcester State, 1-0 (56-10) | 1 | 0 |
| Field Hockey | Worcester State, 1-0 (4-1) | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Soccer | Worcester State, 1-0 (2-1) | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Soccer | Fitchburg State, 1-0 (3-1) | 0 | 1 |
| Volleyball | Worcester State, 1-0 (3-1) | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Basketball | Worcester State, 2-0 (69-62 & 87-63) | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Basketball | Worcester State, 2-0 (66-34, 73-45) | 1 | 0 |
| Ice Hockey | Tie, 1-1-1 (1-5, 3-3, 5-3) | .5 | .5 |
| Men's Indoor Track* | DNC | DNC | DNC |
| Women's Indoor Track* | DNC | DNC | DNC |
| Baseball | Fitchburg, 2-1 (9-11, 15-3, 0-1) | 0 | 1 |
| Women's Lacrosse | Worcester State, 1-0 (18-4) | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Outdoor Track* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Womens Outdoor Track* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Softball | Tie, 1-1 (1-2, 4,-1) | .5 | .5 |
| Total | Worcester State | 8 | 7 |
*Cross Country along with Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field are computed based upon the better finish at the MASCAC Championships in each season of play.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2021-22 Sterling Cup Results
| Sport | Game-By-Game Results | WSU Points | FSU Points |
| Men's Cross XC* | Worcester State | 1 | 0 |
| Women's XC* | Worcester State | 1 | 0 |
| Football | Worcester State, 38-35 | 1 | 0 |
| Field Hockey | Worcester State, 4-0 | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Soccer | Worcester State, 4-0 | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Soccer | Worcester State, 3-1 | 1 | 0 |
| Volleyball | Worcester State, 3-0 | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Basketball | Worcester State, 2-0 | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Basketball | Worcester State, 2-0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ice Hockey | Tie, 1-1-1 | .5 | .5 |
| Men's Indoor Track* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Women's Indoor Track* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Baseball | Worcesster State, 2-1 | 1 | 0 |
| Women's Lacrosse | Worcester State, 16-8 | 1 | 0 |
| Men's Outdoor Track* | Fitchburg State | 0 | 1 |
| Womens Outdoor Track* | Worcester State | 1 | 0 |
| Softball | Worcester State, 2-0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 13.5 | 3.5 | |
| Year | Winner | Score |
| 1990-91 | Tie | 4.5-4.5 |
| 1991-92 | Tie | 4.5-4.5 |
| 1992-93 | Worcester State | 5-4 |
| 1993-94 | Tie | 5-5 |
| 1994-95 | Fitchburg State | 6-4 |
| 1996-97 | Worcester State | 7-3 |
| 1997-98 | Worcester State | 6.5-3.5 |
| 1998-99 | Worcester State | 8-1 |
| 1999-00 | Fitchburg State | 6-4 |
| 2000-01 | Worcester State | 8-2 |
| 2001-02 | Worcester State | 7.5-2.5 |
| 2002-03 | Worcester State | 8.5-1.5 |
| 2003-04~ | Worcester State | 8-1 |
| 2004-05 | Worcester State | 5.5-3.5 |
| 2005-06 | Worcester State | 5-4 |
| 2006-07 | Fitchburg State | 5.5-3.5 |
| 2007-08^ | Tie | 5-5 |
| 2008-09 | Worcester State | 8-2 |
| 2009-10 | Tie | 5-5 |
| 2010-11* | Worcester State | 10-6 |
| 2011-12* | Worcester State | 11.5-3.5 |
| 2012-13* | Worcester State | 12-4 |
| 2013-14* | Worcester State | 13.5-2.5 |
| 2014-15* | Worcester State | 10.0-6.0 |
| 2015-16* | Worcester State | 12.0-4.0 |
| 2016-17* | Worcester State | 12.0-4.0 |
| 2017-18* | Worcester State | 13.0-4.0 |
| 2018-19* | Worcester State | 13.5-3.5 |
| 2019-20* | Worcester State | 9.0-3.0 |
| 2021-22* | Worcester State | 13.5-3.5 |
| 2022-23* | Worcester State | 8-7 |
| 2023-24 | Worcester State | 10.5-6.5 |
| Worcester State | ||
| Leads All-Time | ||
| 24-3-5 | ||
| *Includes XC and T & F | ||
| ~Removes Volleyball | ||
| ^Adds Women's Lacrosse |