The Wachovia Cup has become the symbol of overall sports excellence among high schools in North Carolina, and a name change is coming. 



Since 1979 the Cup has gone to the schools that have the best overall interscholastic sports programs in each of the four classifications of competition: 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A. The program is sponsored by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association and one of its long-time corporate sponsors, Wachovia Bank, a Wells Fargo company.

But with the acquisition of Wachovia by Wells Fargo, the newest version of the Cups themselves as well as the banners which champions receive bear the name of Wells Fargo. So the name of the program going forward will be the Wells Fargo Cup.

Each Cup winner receives an engraved silver cup and a banner for permanent display at the school. The awards are presented at a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill football game during NCHSAA Day festivities.

All schools that finish in the top eight positions (plus ties) in an NCHSAA state championship event receive Wells Fargo Cup points. In events where 1A, 2A, 3A and/or 4A schools compete together, such as lacrosse, points are awarded on a school’s standing against other schools in its classification.


In Cup competition, points are awarded for all sports on the basis of 50 points for first, 45 for second, 40 for third, 35 for fourth, 30 for fifth, 25 for sixth, 20 for seventh and 15 for eighth.

In the event of a tie, the schools receive an equal number of points, based on the number of teams that tie and the number of teams that finish higher in the standings. Five points are awarded for each sanctioned sport in which a school competes.