The SUNY Cortland men's and women's intercollegiate athletic program finished ninth in the 2007-08 United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup competition among the approximately 430 eligible NCAA Division III programs competing nationally for the prestigious honor. The award is presented annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the U.S. Sports Academy and USA Today recognizing overall excellence among collegiate athletic programs.
Cortland is one of only six schools nationwide, and the only New York institution, to place in the top 20 each of the 13 years the standings have been compiled on a Division III level. The Red Dragons finished in the top 10 for the third straight year and seventh time overall.
Cortland was third last year and fifth in 2005-06. In addition, the Red Dragons tied for second during the 1997-98 school year and were eighth on three occasions (2003-04, 1998-99 and 1996-97). Cortland has also placed 12th in 2001-02, 13th in both 2004-05 and 2000-01, 15th in 2002-03, 17th in 1999-2000 and 19th in 1995-96.
Cortland had 13 teams participate in NCAA postseason competition this season, eight of which placed in the top 10 nationally. The men's lacrosse and men's outdoor track and field teams each finished as national runner-up for the second straight year. The men's cross country team placed third, the softball team tied for fifth and the baseball team tied for seventh. The men's indoor track and field team tied for eighth and the field hockey and women's lacrosse teams each tied for ninth.
Other top-30 finishers included the women's volleyball team, which tied for 17th, and the wrestling team, which placed 28th. The women's gymnastics team finished third nationally at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Division III Championships, but that result is not counted in the Directors' Cup standings.
The standings are compiled based on schools' national finishes in different sports. Teams earn points by qualifying for the NCAA postseason and additional points for advancing in the playoffs. The national champion in each sport receives 100 points.
Cortland finished with a total of 712 points. Williams College of Massachusetts won its 10th straight Cup with 1,120.25 points, followed by Washington University (Mo.) with 899 points. The College of New Jersey (825.25), Amherst (Mass.) College (815) and Middlebury (Vt.) College (813.5) rounded out the top five.
There are four Directors' Cup Awards, one to honor overall champions in each of the NCAA's Divisions (I, II and III) and the NAIA. It is the first-ever cross-sectional all-sports national recognition award for both men and women. NACDA, which is now in its 43rd year, is the professional and educational association for more than 6,100 college athletics directors, associates, assistants and conference commissioners at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada.
2007-08 U.S. SPORTS ACADEMY DIRECTORS' CUP
Final Division III Standings
| Rank |
School |
Points |
| 1. |
Williams (Mass.) |
1120.25 |
| 2. |
Washington (Mo.) |
899 |
| 3. |
College of New Jersey |
825.25 |
| 4. |
Amherst (Mass.) |
815 |
| 5. |
Middlebury (Vt.) |
813.5 |
| 6. |
Wisconsin-Whitewater |
810 |
| 7. |
Emory (Ga.) |
752.5 |
| 8. |
Wartburg (Iowa) |
722 |
| 9. |
CORTLAND |
712 |
| 10. |
Wisconsin-Eau Claire |
628 |
| 11. |
Messiah (Pa.) |
615.25 |
| 12. |
St. Thomas (Minn.) |
594.25 |
| 13. |
Wisconsin-Stevens Point |
587.25 |
| 14. |
Ithaca |
585 |
| 15. |
Tufts (Mass.) |
580 |
| 16. |
Johns Hopkins (Md.) |
577.5 |
| 17. |
DePauw (Ind.) |
570 |
| 18. |
Wisconsin-La Crosse |
566.5 |
| 19. |
Illinois Wesleyan |
565.5 |
| 20. |
Trinity (Texas) |
559 |
| |
Other New York
schools in Top 100: |
|
| 33. |
New York University |
400 |
| 34. |
Hamilton |
396.25 |
| 35. |
Rochester |
394 |
| 43. |
Plattsburgh |
355 |
| 45. |
St. Lawrence |
348.25 |
| 50. |
Hobart/William Smith |
332 |
| 66. |
Skidmore |
278 |
| 74. |
Brockport |
257.5 |
| 76. |
Geneseo |
255 |
| 85. |
Union |
237.5 |
| 90. |
St. John Fisher |
205 |
| 94. |
Nazareth |
198.5 |
| 100. |
Oneonta |
187.75 |
Complete standings are online at:
www.nacda.com
2007-08 CORTLAND TEAMS PARTICIPATING IN NCAA DIVISION III POSTSEASON PLAY
(national finish in parentheses)
Men's Lacrosse (2nd)
Men's Outdoor Track and Field (2nd)
Men's Cross Country (3rd)
Softball (tied for 5th)
Baseball (tied for 7th)
Men's Indoor Track and Field (tied for 8th)
Field Hockey (tied for 9th)
Women's Lacrosse (tied for 9th)
Women's Volleyball (tied for 17th)
Wrestling (28th)
Women's Indoor Track and Field (tied for 51st)
Women's Outdoor Track and Field (tied for 60th)
Women's Swimming and Diving (did not score)
(NOTE: Women's gymnastics finished third nationally at the NCGA Div. III Championships, but that finish is not counted in the Directors' Cup standings.)
CORTLAND'S DIRECTORS' CUP FINISHES
1995-96: 19th
1996-97: 8th
1997-98: 2nd (tied)
1998-99: 8th
1999-00: 17th
2000-01: 13th
2001-02: 12th
2002-03: 15th
2003-04: 8th
2004-05: 13th
2005-06: 5th
2006-07: 3rd
2007-08: 9th
