Dec. 15, 2005

The University of Notre Dame stands first in the second set of fall sports standings released in the 2005-06 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).

Fall NCAA competition so far has earned the Irish 291 points based on their third-place finish in men’s cross country (85 points), their seventh-place finish in women’s cross country (69 points), their quarterfinal appearance in women’s soccer (73) and their third-round appearance in men’s soccer (64)

Yet to come are fall points for Notre Dame’s NCAA regional semifinal appearance in volleyball and for its final standing in football (based on the final USA Today poll after the bowl games).

A third set of fall standings will be released Dec. 29 — and the final fall standings will be available Jan. 10.

Stanford (232 points) ranks second, thanks to its ’05 NCAA title in women’s cross country, a runnerup finish in men’s water polo, and a sixth-place finish in men’s cross country. Third is Duke (second in field hockey, third in women’s cross country), followed by Colorado (NCAA women’s cross country runnerup) and North Carolina (reached quarterfinals in booth men’s and women’s soccer).

The current standings include results from NCAA fall competition in women’s field hockey, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, and men’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, 19th in 2003-04 and 16th in 2004-05.

Here are the current standings:

1.Notre Dame 291
2.Stanford 232
3.Duke 230
4.Colorado 215
5.North Carolina 188.5
6.Virginia 181
7.Wake Forest 170.5
8.Penn State 159.5
9.Wisconsin 159
10.Maryland 150
11.California 149.5
12.BYU 142
13.UCLA 140
14.SMU 133
15.Arkansas and Oklahoma State (tie) 126