Orlando, FL - Riding the strength of a
third women's soccer national championship in four years, the Messiah College Falcons scored points in 10 of a possible 18 sport categories to finish 27th overall in the annual Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings. This marks the Falcons' eighth-straight year of being ranked within the top-30.
The Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA today, with points being awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 18 sports—nine women's and nine men's. Learfield Sports, a Dallas-based sports marketing organizations, is in its fourth year as the program's sponsor.
The Falcons collected a perfect score (100 points) for their national championship in women's soccer, helping them finish with a total of 466 points. They were the only institution from the Middle Atlantic Conferences (MAC) to finish in the top 50. Elizabethtown College finished 74th overall.
“For many years, Messiah College has been considered one of the premier location for NCAA Division III athletics, and the numbers continue to say as much," Director of Athletics
Jack Cole said. ”I'm proud of every single one of our student-athletes, coaches, and supporters that contribute to the Falcons' success. A lot of hard work and mentorship goes into our programs each and every day, and it's an honor to be recognized for our achievements.
Though Messiah's standing within the Directors' Cup continues to support the Falcons' prominence within NCAA Division III athletics, their 466 points fell short of their total from last year. For the 2010-11 year, Messiah collected 541.5 points to finish 23rd in the rankings.
The highest ranking ever achieved for Messiah College was in 2007-08, when they landed in 11th place with 615.25 points.
Dickinson College was the only other school to rank within the top-70, as they finished in 67th place. Johns Hopkins University (9th), Salisbury University (13th), TCNJ (20th), and Rowan College (26th) were the only schools within the Mid-Atlantic region to finish in front of Messiah.
This year's performance was bolstered by a number of strong performances in NCAA postseason competition. Women's lacrosse earned 53 points for their
advancement into the Second Round of the NCAA Championships, while sophomore Liz Martin earned 73 points in women's track & field for her
All-American finish in the 400-meter Intermediate Hurdles. Senior wrestlers Matt Cross and Tim Stewart combined to earn 55 points for the Falcons after both earning All-American status in the winter.
Field Hockey (53 points), men's soccer (50), women's basketball (50), and baseball (50) also earned significant points to help Messiah's overall ranking. Men's basketball and softball also collected points for their NCAA berths.*
Middlebury College (Vt.) finished with 1,040.75 points to land in first place, scoring in the maximum 18 sports categories. It is the Panthers first Directors' Cup title. Complete standings and scoring structure can be found
here on NACDA's website.
*Points are calculated on a sport-specific basis by considering byes, wins, and overall finishes in NCAA postseason competition.
Messiah All-Time Final Directors' Cup Rankings
2011-2012 — 27th (466 points)
2010-2011 — 23rd (541.5)
2009-2010 — 19th (580.75)
2008-2009 — 14th (696.75)
2007-2008 — 11th (615.25)
2006-2007 — 23rd (466.50)
2005-2006 — 15th (474.25)
2004-2005 — 20th (380)
2003-2004 — 34th (313)
2002-2003 — 16th (478.5)
2001-2002 — 26th (348)
2000-2001 — 26th (352.5)
1999-2000 — 54th (223.5)
1998-1999 — 59th (110)
1997-1998 — 45th (140)
1996-1997 — 134th (78)
1995-1996 — 40th (172.5)
