Notre Dame Poised For Top-10 Sears Directors’ Cup Finish
Irish trying for best-ever result in all-sports competition.

June 15, 2001

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame is on the verge of its first-ever top 10 finish in the Sears Directors’ Cup all-sports competition, with the Irish standing 10th in the latest set of 2000-01 spring standings.

Spring sports points have come for the Irish from an NCAA semifinal appearance in men’s lacrosse (75 points), a 21st-place finish in men’s outdoor track and field (63 points), advancement to the final 16 in women’s tennis (50 points), a regional runnerup finish in softball (50 points) and a second-round appearance in men’s tennis (30 points).

Winter sports won Notre Dame points based on its NCAA championship in women’s basketball (100 points), a tie for 17th in men’s basketball (30 points, based on advancement to the second round), a third-place finish in fencing (80 points, based on the men’s and women’s combined championship), a 37th place in women’s swimming (31 points) and a 58th place in women’s indoor track and field (23.5 points).

Fall NCAA competition earned the Irish 202 points based on their ninth-place finish in men’s cross country (59 points), their national semifinal appearance in women’s soccer (75), their second-round finish in volleyball (30 points) and their 16th-place finish in the final USA Today/ESPN college football poll (38 points).

Stanford (1259.5 points) leads the competition, followed by UCLA, Michigan, Arizona and Ohio State.

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

Yet to be included in the numbers are results from baseball, in which Notre Dame was a regional runnerup. Final standings will be available June 21.

In previous years in which the Sears 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 and 21st in 1999-2000.

Here are the current standings:

1. Stanford 1259.5, 2. UCLA 1138, 3. Michigan 864.5, 4. Arizona 863, 5. Ohio State 861, 6. Florida 847, 7. Georgia 830.5, 8. Arizona State 801, 9. Penn State 774.5, 10. Notre Dame 764.5.