University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Places 14th in Director's Cup Standings
6/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Finishing 14th among 331 NCAA Division I institutions, Minnesota achieved its highest standing since 2003 in the Learfield Sports Director’s Cup, which measures the nation’s top overall athletics program.
The Gophers had 20 of their 25 sports qualify for NCAA tournament competition and totaled 975.75 points for their third-highest finish in the 16-year history of the award. It marked the 14th consecutive year Minnesota has placed in the top 30. Minnesota’s only two better performances were a seventh place finish in 2002 and an 11th place effort in 2003. The Gophers were 28th in the standings last year.
Minnesota was in second place following the winter sports season and dropped to 14th in the final standings despite having five sports reach NCAA tournament play during the spring. Stanford won its 15th straight title with 1,455 points to win by 270.75 points over second place North Carolina. Minnesota was third among Big Ten schools as Michigan placed fifth and Ohio State was 10th. The Gophers finished just one-quarter point behind Texas A&M for 13th place.
Points are accumulated based on performances in NCAA tournament competition. Each sport is scored on a scale of 25-100 with the national champion receiving 100 points, the runner-up getting 90 points and each participating team receiving a minimum of 25 points for qualifying.
Minnesota’s highest-scoring sports were men’s and women’s swimming and diving, which each recorded 66 points for their 11th place finishes. The women’s soccer team had the highest overall finish at ninth place, resulting in 64 points. The Gophers gained 60.75 points for their 12th place finish in women’s indoor track and field and their 14th place finishes in men’s indoor track and field and wrestling.
Women’s outdoor track and field was the highest-scoring spring sport with 56 points. The baseball and men’s tennis teams each collected 50 points for falling one win short of reaching the final 16.
