June 30, 2004

Notre Dame, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame finished 19th in the final sports standings released in the 2003-04 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 sports play netted the Irish 231 points, thanks to NCAA participation in women’s lacrosse (tie for 9th place, 25 points), women’s golf (55th, 18 points), men’s tennis (tie for 33rd, 25 points), women’s tennis (tie for 17th, 50 points, based on first-round victory), men’s golf (tie for 34th, 38 points), softball (tie for 33rd, 25 points) and baseball (tie for 17th, 50 points, based on regional championship appearance).

Winter competition meant 275 points for Notre Dame based on NCAA championship finishes in fencing (3rd place, 85 points), women’s track and field (21st, 52 points), women’s swimming and diving (25th, 49 points), women’s basketball (tie for 9th, 64 points, based on regional semifinal appearance) and hockey (tie for 9th, 25 points, based on regional semifinal appearance).

Fall NCAA competition earned the Irish 199 points based on their 10th-place finish in the NCAA women’s cross country championships (60 points), their second-round appearance in NCAA women’s soccer (50 points), their third-round NCAA appearance in men’s soccer (64 points, highest total ever in that sport for Notre Dame) and their NCAA first-round women’s volleyball appearance (25 points).

Stanford (1,337.3 points) won the competition for the 10th straight year. Second was Michigan, followed by UCLA, Ohio State and Georgia.

The final standings include results from NCAA fall competition in field hockey, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and I-A and I-AA football, plus winter results from men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s gymnastics, men’s ice hockey, skiing, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, fencing, men’s and women’s swimming and wrestling, plus spring results in men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s golf, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, men’s and women’s tennis and women’s rowing.

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 and tied for 13th in 2002-03.

Here are the final standings: 1.Stanford 1,337.3, 2.Michigan 1,226.3, 3.UCLA 1,178.8, 4.Ohio State 1,026.5, 5.Georgia 1,005.3, 6.Florida 993.25, 7.North Carolina 952, 8.Washington 919.5, 9.California 899.5, 10.Texas 880.25, 11.LSU 867.75, 12.Arizona 799. 5, 13.Penn State 795.5 14.Tennessee 755.75, 15.Oklahoma 728.75, 16.Texas A&M 714, 17.Arizona State 708, 18.Duke 706.5, 19.Notre Dame 705, 20.Minnesota 687.