The U.S. Highway 20 Cup is an all sports athletic competition between Goshen College and Bethel University. Every sport that both schools compete in has a chance to score a point for their respective school. For every guaranteed competition between the Maple Leafs and the Pilots, there are points up for grabs. 

For example, this year the men’s tennis team took down Bethel in the regular season, winning 4-3  and garnering a point towards the U.S. Highway 20 Cup’s total for GC. But not every sport plays one game against each other. During the spring season the softball and baseball teams will face each other four times over the course of the season. Each game is worth 0.25 points adding up to one point. 

With the completion of the fall seasons, the schools were tied at 3.5 points. The Leafs were victorious in men’s tennis and men’s and women’s cross country. They fell in volleyball twice, women’s tennis and men’s soccer. The half of a point can be accredited to a draw in women’s soccer.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Highway 20 Cup winter competitions started, with both basketball teams battling for half a point each. The women lost 57-55. The men’s team lost with a final score of 101-56. The current score of the Highway 20 Cup is 4.5-3.5. 

With Bethel being located in Mishawaka, IN, it is the closest college geographically to GC and is a natural rival. The U.S. Highway 20 Cup began in 2019, and since the beginning the Pilots have gone undefeated, winning the most recent Cup by the closest margin, with a score of 9.75 to 6.25. With the addition of bowling this year there are two more points on the table.  

Aside from bragging rights, the Cup is a fight for local athletes. Justin DeWeese, assistant athletic director of communications and operations, said, “Goshen and Bethel, they fight for the same local recruits and so when you are getting local athletes being able to have that upper hand and saying we beat Bethel in the All Sports Trophy could be a nice recruiting point.”

It also further motivates athletes by putting something else on the line. Zion Neat, a fifth-year on the women’s basketball team, explained, “Our whole school is unified over one thing … it’s cool because even people who are not in sports are involved in it and everyone is very passionate about it and going for one goal.”

The next US Highway 20 competition is on Jan. 25, when both basketball teams battle for the second half of their points at home.