The Humphrey-Thompson Cup

Friday, September 26th - Saturday, September 27th, 2025

NEW YORK ATHLETIC CLUB vs. OLYMPIC CLUB
A clash of legendary clubs at the NYAC City House and Travers Island

FEATURED SPORTS
Basketball - Squash - One-Wall Handball - Lacrosse
Rugby - Soccer - Swimming - Water Polo

The Humphrey-Thompson Cup is a multi-sport competition that pits the New York Athletic Club against its west coast rival, the prestigious Olympic Club of San Francisco. Founded in 1860, the OC is the sole athletic club that can claim to have an athletic pedigree approaching that of the NYAC. Fittingly, and possibly inevitably, that rivalry spawned the Humphrey-Thompson Cup, an innovative, bi-coastal, multi-sport competition that came into being in 2010, and which returned in 2011 and 2013. In each of those years, some of the USA's finest athletes turned out to compete for their clubs in competitions that remain unforgettable for those sufficiently fortunate to have witnessed them. This year, the competitions return for HTC-IV.

Spanning two days and eight sports, competitions on Friday (September 26th) will take place at the City House, moving to Travers Island for Saturday's clashes. For day two, round trip shuttle service will be available, departing the CH at 9am and returning from TI at 6pm. Reservations may be made here or via the NYAC app.

The Humphrey-Thompson Cup is named for William F. Humphrey and Col. Robert M. Thompson, Humphrey having served as president of the Olympic Club in the early 1900s, and Thompson having been president of the NYAC from 1911-1912, as well as serving as president of the then-named American Olympic Association. The Humphrey-Thompson Cup is contested in the spirit of these two exceptional sportsmen, and all members are invited to witness the competitive mettle and deep camaraderie of these two celebrated clubs.

For more information, contact the NYAC Athletic Office at [email protected].

2025 Schedule of Events

Friday, September 26th, 2025 - City House

Afternoon and Evening at the City House

Basketball
Squash
One-Wall Handball

Saturday, September 27th, 2025 - Travers Island

Saturday Morning and Afternoon at Travers Island

Lacrosse
Rugby
Soccer
Swimming
Water Polo

2025 Humphrey-Thompson Cup Results and Reports

Results and reports will be posted once the competitions are concluded. Check back to see the winners.

Results and reports will be posted once the competitions are concluded. Check back to see the winners.

One-Wall Handball

Results and reports will be posted once the competitions are concluded. Check back to see the winners.

Results and reports will be posted once the competitions are concluded. Check back to see the winners.

Results and reports will be posted once the competitions are concluded. Check back to see the winners.

Results and reports will be posted once the competitions are concluded. Check back to see the winners.

Results and reports will be posted once the competitions are concluded. Check back to see the winners.

Results and reports will be posted once the competitions are concluded. Check back to see the winners.

The Humphrey-Thompson Cup: In Review

The first edition of the Humphrey-Thompson Cup saw the Olympic Club travel to New York to take on the NYAC in four sports: lacrosse (men), soccer (men and women), water polo (men and women) and rugby (men). With NYAC President Bob Geary and OC President David Bonelli cheering from the sidelines, the competitions were every bit as intense as had been anticipated. Once the dust had settled, however, the home team emerged as the victors, with the coveted trophy being installed in a place of honor in the NYAC Hall of Fame. Fittingly, the post-games celebrations in the Travers Island ballroom were replete with toasts from each side to an unforgettable inaugural event.

For HTC-II, the NYAC team travelled west, carrying the pressure of defending its title on the Olympic Club's home turf. This time around, the schedule of sports was expanded to include basketball (men), in addition to the repeats from 2010: soccer (men and women), rugby (men), water polo (men and women) and lacrosse (men). Once again, all competitions were torrid, but with the basketball clash being especially so, going into triple overtime and with the NYAC eking a two point win. Reflecting the caliber of the competition, two other matches also went into overtime before reaching a decisive result. Once all had been tallied, however, the NYAC had been successful in its defense, meaning that the Cup would make a return trip to the east coast and resume its place in the NYAC Hall of Fame.

The third edition of the Humphrey-Thompson Cup returned to the east coast, with events taking place in the NYAC City House and at Travers Island. (The competition did not take place in 2012 due to that year's Olympic Games in London). The roster of sports remained the same as in 2011 - basketball (men), soccer (men and women), rugby (men), lacrosse (men) and water polo (men and women) - as did the caliber and intensity of the competition. With powerhouse players appearing in all sports - among them water polo players Betsy Armstrong, Brenda Villa and Heather Petri, all stars of Team USA - it was certain that the OC had come with all guns loaded, not wishing to endure a third straight defeat. The sporting gods did not smile on them, however, as, with five NYAC victories to the Olympic Club's two, the coveted Humphrey-Thompson Cup remained in the hands of the teams wearing the winged foot.