June 29, 2005

The University of Notre Dame finished 16th in the final sports standings released in the 2004-05 United States Sports Academy Division I Directors’ Cup all-sports competition sponsored by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (formerly known as Sears Directors’ Cup).

The number-16 standing comes after the Irish finished the fall season in first place — marking the first time in the 12-year history of the program that Notre Dame ranked number one. The previous highest ranking for the Irish had been second in the 2004-05 second set of fall standings.

Notre Dame in spring NCAA competition earned 248 points – 50 from an NCAA regional runnerup finish in baseball, 50 from a second-round NCAA appearance in women’s tennis, 50 from a regional runnerup slot in softball, 35 from a 37th-place finish in men’s golf, 25 from a first-round appearance in men’s tennis, 21 for a 52nd-place finish in women’s golf and 17 from a 55th-place NCAA finish in women’s outdoor track and field.

Winter competition netted Notre Dame 203 points — based on its NCAA combined men’s and women’s championship in fencing (50 points), a 24th-place NCAA finish in women’s swimming (49.5 points), a 20th-place NCAA finish in men’s indoor track and field (53.5 points) and a second-round NCAA appearance in women’s basketball (50 points).

Fall NCAA competition earned the Irish 337 points based on their NCAA title in women’s soccer (100 points), their fourth-place finish in women’s cross country (80 points), their 11th-place finish in men’s cross country (57 points) and their second-round NCAA appearances in both men’s soccer and volleyball (50 points each).

Stanford (1238.75 points) finished first (its 11th straight title), thanks to its NCAA titles in women’s volleyball and women’s tennis and runnerup finishes in men’s swimming and women’s water polo. Texas (1074) took second, helped by spring NCAA titles in baseball and women’s outdoor track and field and a runnerup finish in women’s tennis. UCLA (1067) was third, thanks to a strong spring season that featured NCAA titles in women’s water polo and men’s tennis and runnerup finishes in women’s golf, softball, men’s volleyball and women’s outdoor track and field.

The final standings include results from NCAA fall competition in football, volleyball, field hockey, water polo, men’s and women’s cross country, and men’s and women’s soccer – from winter competition in men’s and women’s basketball, fencing, rifle, skiing, men’s gymnastics, men’s and women’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, and wrestling – and from spring competition in men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s lacrosse, women’s rowing, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s volleyball and women’s water polo.

In previous years in which the Directors’ Cup competition has been held, Notre Dame has finished 11th in 1993-94, 30th in 1994-95, 11th in 1995-96, 14th in 1996-97, tied for 31st in 1997-98, 25th in 1998-99, 21st in 1999-2000, 11th in 2000-01, 13th in 2001-02, tied for 13th in 2002-03 and 19th in 2003-04.

Here are the final standings:

1.Stanford 1238.75, 2.Texas 1074, 3.UCLA 1067, 4.Michigan 1064.25, 5.Duke 1021.25, 6.Florida 979.25, 7.Georgia 970, 8.Tennessee 960.25, 9.North Carolina 940.5, 10.USC 902.25, 11.Arizona State 838.25, 12.Ohio State 834.25, 13.Virginia 808.5, 14.Washington 797.25, 15.California 792.5, 16. Notre Dame 788.