March 31, 2003

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame stands fourth in the first set of winter sports standings released in the 2002-03 Division I NACDA Directors’ Cup all-sports competition sponsored by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (formerly known as Sears Directors’ Cup).

This marks a drop of one spot from the third-place ranking held by Notre Dame following the end of the fall sports seasons (that marked the highest ranking for Notre Dame since the Irish were third in the ’96-’97 final fall standings — Notre Dame ended up 14th overall that year).

So far this winter, the Irish have earned 40.5 points from a 32nd-place finish in women’s indoor track and field and 37.5 points from a 34th-place finish in men’s indoor track and field. Yet to come are points from Notre Dame’s NCAA title (combined men’s and women’s) in fencing, its Sweet 16 appearances in both men’s and women’s basketball, plus a 33rd-place finish in women’s swimming.

Fall NCAA competition earned the Irish 319 points based on their third-place finish in women’s cross country (85 points, highest total ever in that sport for the Irish), their 22nd-place finish in men’s cross country (30 points), their third-round appearance in women’s soccer (64 points), their second-round appearances in men’s soccer and volleyball (50 points each) and their 17th-place finish in football in the final USA Today/ESPN poll (40 points). Notre Dame was the only school in the country to make postseason appearances in all six of those sports during the fall 2002 season.

Stanford (584 points) leads the competition thanks to its NCAA championship in men’s cross country and its second-place finishes in volleyball, women’s cross country and men’s soccer. Second is Penn State, followed by Michigan, Notre Dame and North Carolina.

The current standings include results from NCAA fall competition in volleyball, field hockey, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer and football – plus winter competition in skiing and men’s and women’s track and field.

The next update to include more winter sports will be issued April 3.

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 and 13th in 2001-02.

Here are the current standings:
1.Stanford 584, 2.Penn State 416.5, 3.Michigan 402, 4.Notre Dame 397, 5.North Carolina 352.5, 6.UCLA 350.25, 7.Texas 340.5, 8.Colorado 336.5, 9.Arkansas 308.5, 10.Wake Forest 304.5, 11.Villanova 301.5, 12.Indiana 299.75, 13.USC 290, 14.Nebraska 288, 15.Ohio State 283.