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ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø and William Jewell College already competed head-to-head in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference. But this year, there was something else on the line for these two local institutions — bragging rights.

In September, the two cross-town rivals announced the start of a new tradition, the KC Crown, a yearlong competition in which the school with the best record in head-to-head competition across all sports would take home the KC Crown trophy. On Tuesday, representatives from both institutions, 810 Sports Radio, and Mammoth Sports Construction were all on ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø’s campus for the inaugural trophy presentation.

“The KC Crown has been won,” said Todd Leabo, host of 810 Sports Radio, shortly before the trophy was awarded to ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø Director of Athletics Kristy Bayer and a group of student-athletes.

Louis Keiner, a sophomore tennis player, said the competition added a special dynamic to every meeting with opponents from William Jewell.

“Every semester, it’s always fun to play these guys,” he said.

Though ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø claimed the trophy this year (and the rights to brandish the accompanying pro-wrestling style championship belt), Bayer said both sides deserve credit for coming together to create a new tradition.

“One thing that I’m extremely proud of is it’s been a collective, team effort,” she said. “We have all these student-athletes behind us who all — fall, winter, spring — all gave it their all to win this trophy. I love that it’s become such a great tradition between us and Jewell.”

Bayer also said she hopes the competition highlights more than the effort student-athletes give on the field.

“I also do want to commend these student-athletes here at ºÚ°µ±¬ÁÏÍø for what they also do in the classroom and the community,” she said.