THE SECRETARIES' CUP
The competitive rivalry between the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is well-known. The institutions battle throughout the year for the Superintendent's Trophy, awarded to the institution that wins the most head-to-head match-ups during the calender year. But the history and intensity of this rivalry finds no better stage than the annual football game, commonly known as the Secretaries' Cup.
Despite the first football contest between the two teams taking place in 1949, as well as games in 1965-66 and 1974-79, the first Secretaries Cup game was played in 1981. At the time, the trophy was called the "Secretary's Cup" due to both schools falling within the Department of Transportation, but the name was pluralized in 2003 after the U.S. Coast Guard moved to the Department of Homeland Security.
From 1991 to 2005, the game was played on the last Saturday of the Division III football calender, generally in mid-November. In 2006, CGA joined the New England Football Conference, turning the rivalry into a September non-conference game until 2017, when the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference began sponsoring football with both schools as conference members.
The contest has been broadcast on ESPN's streaming networks since 2017. The 2020 edition of the match-up had the distinction of being the only Division III football game played that season, due to all other conferences canceling their seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Historically, the game has been played at either school's campus on an alternating basis; in 2025, it will take place at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts.
THROUGH 2025: MERCHANT MARINE LEADS, 38-16
| ALL-TIME RESULTS |
| SEASON |
LOCATION |
WINNER |
SCORE |
| 2025 |
Boston, Mass. (Fenway Park) |
Merchant Marine |
39-38 |
| 2024 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Coast Guard |
42-21 |
| 2023 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
39-27 |
| 2022 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
41-33 |
| 2021 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
49-14 |
| 2020 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
24-14 |
| 2019 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
56-41 |
| 2018 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Coast Guard |
26-12 |
| 2017 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
48-23 |
| 2016 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
31-27 |
| 2015 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
14-3 |
| 2014 |
New London, Conn. |
Coast Guard |
42-31 |
| 2013 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
27-20 |
| 2012 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
43-37 |
| 2011 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
35-28 |
| 2010 |
New London, Conn. |
Coast Guard |
10-8 |
| 2009 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
33-27 |
| 2008 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
34-7 |
| 2007 |
New London, Conn. |
Coast Guard |
35-31 |
| 2006 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
21-7 |
| 2005 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
21-5 |
| 2004 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
16-7 |
| 2003 |
New London, Conn. |
Coast Guard |
9-7 |
| 2002 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
31-6 |
| 2001 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
7-3 |
| 2000 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
28-21 |
| 1999 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
24-21 |
| 1998 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
46-7 |
| 1997 |
New London, Conn. |
Coast Guard |
34-16 |
| 1996 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Coast Guard |
23-13 |
| 1995 |
New London, Conn. |
Coast Guard |
27-9 |
| 1994 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
21-6 |
| 1993 |
New London, Conn. |
Coast Guard |
31-23 |
| 1992 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
42-0 |
| 1991 |
New London, Conn. |
Coast Guard |
25-20 |
| 1990 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Coast Guard |
21-17 |
| 1989 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
24-22 |
| 1988 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Coast Guard |
35-7 |
| 1987 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
10-7 |
| 1986 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
28-0 |
| 1985 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
42-14 |
| 1984 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
41-0 |
| 1983 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
21-14 |
| 1982 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
14-7 |
| 1981 |
New London, Conn. |
Coast Guard |
14-6 |
| 1979 |
New London, Conn. |
Coast Guard |
30-23 |
| 1978 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
10-7 |
| 1977 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
10-6 |
| 1976 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
9-7 |
| 1975 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
9-7 |
| 1974 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
14-12 |
| 1966 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Merchant Marine |
41-6 |
| 1965 |
New London, Conn. |
Merchant Marine |
17-8 |
| 1949 |
Kings Point, N.Y. |
Coast Guard |
21-14 |
