Jan. 11, 2005

Notre Dame remains in first place in the final 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 first season in the 12-year history of the program that Notre Dame has ranked number one. The previous highest ranking for the Irish was second in the 2004-05 second set of fall standings.

Fall NCAA competition earned the Irish 337 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 NCAA appearances in both men’s soccer and volleyball (50 points each).

Michigan (333 points) is second, highlighted by a quarterfinal appearance in field hockey and a sixth-place finish in women’s cross country. Stanford (332 points) stands third, thanks to its NCAA title in volleyball. Duke (327) is fourth after runnerup NCAA finishes in women’s cross country and field hockey.

The current standings include results from NCAA fall competition in football, volleyball, field hockey, water polo, men’s and women’s cross country, and men’s and women’s soccer. Notre Dame has reached the top spot despite not sponsoring varsity teams in water polo or field hockey.

The first set of winter standings will be available March 24.

In previous years in which the Directors’ Cup competition has been held, Notre Dame has finished 11th in 1993-94, 30th in ’94-’95, 11th in ’95-’96, 14th in ’96-’97, tied for 31st in ’97-’98, 25th in ’98-’99, 21st in ’99-’00, 11th in ’00-’01, 13th in ’01-’02, tied for 13th in ’02-’03 and 19th in ’03-’04.

Here are the current standings:
1. Notre Dame 337
2. Michigan 333
3. Stanford 332
4. Duke 327
5. UCLA 297
6. Maryland 280
7. Ohio State 276
8. Colorado 275
9. Texas 262
10.Wisconsin 251