Dec. 16, 2004
The University of Notre Dame stands second in the second set of fall sports standings released in the 2004-05 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).
This marks the highest ranking for Notre Dame since the Irish were third in both the 1996-97 and 2002-03 final fall standings (Notre Dame ended up 14th and 13th, respectively, in those years).
Fall NCAA competition so far has earned the Irish 287 points based on their NCAA title in women’s soccer (100 points), their fourth-place finish in women’s cross country (80 points), their 11th-place finish in men’s cross country (57 points) and their second-round appearance in men’s soccer (50 points). Yet to come are fall points for Notre Dame’s 2004 NCAA involvement in volleyball (the Irish advanced to the second round).
The third set of fall standings will be released Dec. 30 and the final fall standings will be available Jan. 11.
Duke (327 points) leads the competition, thanks to its NCAA runner-up finishes in women’s cross country and women’s field hockey, plus a third-place finish in men’s soccer. Third is Colorado, followed by Stanford, Maryland and Michigan.
The current standings include results from NCAA fall competition in field hockey, men’s and women’s cross country, and men’s and women’s soccer.
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 and 19th in 2003-04.
Here are the current standings:
1.Duke 327, 2.Notre Dame 287, 3.Colorado 250, 4.Stanford 232, 5.Maryland 230, 6.Michigan 229, 7.Wake Forest 225, 8.UCLA 224, 9.North Carolina 209, 10.Michigan State 174.