Ashley Barlow and Melissa Lechlitner celebrate after defeating Oklahoma in the 2008 NCAA tournament (AP)

Irish Now 18th In NACDA Directors' Cup

April 10, 2008

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame stands 18th in the second set of winter sports standings released in the 2007-08 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).

Winter competition in NCAA events so far has earned Notre Dame 265.5 points – 90 for its runner-up finish in men’s and women’s fencing (a combined championship), 64 for a regional semifinal appearance in women’s basketball, 50 for a second-round appearance in men’s basketball, 37.5 for a tie for 36th place in the men’s indoor track and field championships, and 24 for a 41st-place finish in men’s swimming and diving (the first points ever won for the Irish in men’s swimming).

Yet to come are winter points for at least an NCAA national semifinal appearance in the men’s ice hockey Frozen Four (the Irish play tonight against #1 overall seed Michigan),.

Fall NCAA competition earned the Irish 188 points — 32 based on their 21st-place finish in men’s cross country, 83 for Notre Dame’s national semifinal appearance in women’s soccer, and 73 for its national quarterfinal appearance in men’s soccer.

Stanford (907 points) currently leads the competition, after winning the NCAA water polo title and finishing as the runner-up in women’s basketball. Second is Texas (684), followed by California (629), Penn State (622.75) and Ohio State (589.5).

The current standings include results from NCAA fall competition in women’s field hockey, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s water polo, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, the football championship subdivision (former I-AA) and the football bowl subdivision (formerly I-A). They also include winter results from men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, fencing, women’s hockey, rifle, skiing, and wrestling.

The final winter sports standings will be published May 1.

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, a best-ever sixth in 2005-06 and 22nd in 2006-07.

Here are the current standings:
1.Stanford 907, 2.Texas 684, 3.California 629, 4.Penn State 622.75, 5.Ohio State 589.5, 6.West Virginia 578, 7.Tennessee 576.75, 8.Arizona State 573.5, 9.(tie)North Carolina and Wisconsin 568.5, 11.Michigan 563.25, 12.Florida State 535, 13.LSU 529.5, 14.Florida 527.75, 15.Texas A&M 479.75, 16.USC 460.5, 17.Purdue 456.5, 18.NOTRE DAME 453.5, 19.Minnesota 450.75, 20.Duke 433, 21.UCLA 430, 22.Georgia 425.5, 23.Virginia 416, 24.Oregon 412.5, 25.Connecticut 400.

— ND —