June 28, 2007

The University of Notre Dame finished in 22nd place in the final standings released in the 2006-07 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).

Spring NCAA competition earned the Irish 243.5 points based on a second straight quarterfinal appearance in women’s tennis (73 points), a round-of-16 qualification in men’s tennis (64), a tie for 41st in NCAA women’s outdoor track and field (31), a first-round appearance in men’s lacrosse (25), a regional appearance in softball (25), a tie for 55th place in men’s outdoor track and field (15.5) and a 12th-place finish in women’s rowing (10).

Winter competition in NCAA events earned Notre Dame 267 points – 80 for a fourth-place NCAA finish in men’s and women’s fencing, 60 for Notre Dame’s appearance as an NCAA regional finalist in men’s ice hockey, 50 for a second-round NCAA appearance in women’s basketball, 47 for its 27th-place finish in women’s swimming and diving, 25 for a first-round NCAA appearance in men’s basketball, and five for a 65th-place finish in men’s indoor track and field.

Fall NCAA competition earned the Irish 279 points based on their NCAA runner-up finish in women’s soccer (90 points), their best-ever NCAA quarterfinal appearance in men’s soccer (73 points), a 19th-place finish in men’s cross country (36 points), their first-round NCAA women’s volleyball appearance (25 points) and their 19th-place finish in the final USA Today football poll (55 points).

Stanford (’06 NCAA women’s cross country champion and ’07 men’s golf champion and NCAA runner-up in women’s volleyball, men’s swimming and women’s water polo) won the competition with 1,429 points. UCLA (’07 NCAA women’s water polo champion and men`s soccer and women’s tennis runner-up) was second with 1,232 points, followed by North Carolina (1,161.33), Michigan (1,135.25) and USC (1,103.5).

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, 19th in 2003-04, 16th in 2004-05 and a best-ever sixth in 2005-06.

Here are the final standings: 1.Stanford 1429, 2.UCLA 1232, 3.North Carolina 1161.33, 4.Michigan 1135.25, 5.USC 1103.5, 6.Florida 1064.25, 7.Tennessee 1045.75, 8.Texas 1037.25, 9.California 1030, 10.Arizona State 1005, 11.Duke 988.25, 12.Georgia 971, 13.Virginia 945, 14.Ohio State 927.5, 15.Florida State 924.25, 16.Wisconsin 913.25, 17.LSU 888, 18.Texas A&M 881, 19.Auburn 866.25, 20.Minnesota 862.75, 21.Penn State 848.83, 22.Notre Dame 789.5, 23.Wake Forest 708.5, 24.Arizona 703.33, 25.Oklahoma 702.75.