The SUNY Cortland men's and women's intercollegiate athletic program finished in 17th place in the 2009-10 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup competition among the approximately 440 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), Learfield Sports 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 15 years the standings have been compiled on the Division III level. The Red Dragons were the top finisher this season among New York Div. III schools.

Cortland had 12 teams participate in NCAA postseason competition in 2009-10, seven of which placed in the top 30 nationally. The baseball team finished second in the nation, the men's lacrosse team tied for third, the men's cross country team placed fifth and the field hockey team tied for fifth. The women's lacrosse team tied for ninth, the wrestling team finished 22nd and the softball team tied for 26th. The women's gymnastics team finished fourth 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 586.5 points. Williams College of Massachusetts won its 12th straight Cup with 1,292.25 points, followed by Amherst (Mass.) with 905.75. Cortland, Williams, Amherst, The College of New Jersey, Middlebury (Vt.) and Wisconsin-La Crosse are the six schools that have finished in the top 20 every year.

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 45th 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.

2009-10 LEARFIELD SPORTS DIRECTORS' CUP
Final Division III Standings

Rank School, Points
   1.    Williams (Mass.), 1,292.25
   2.    Amherst (Mass.), 905.75
   3.    Washington (Mo.), 858.5
   4.    Middlebury (Vt.), 751
   5.    Illinois Wesleyan, 704.25
   6.    Tufts (Mass.), 699
   7.    Wisconsin-La Crosse, 678.75
   8.    College of New Jersey, 677.75
   9.    Salisbury (Md.), 673.25
  10.    St. Thomas (Minn.), 670.25
  11.    Mass. Institute of Tech., 662.75
  12.    Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 654
  13.    Calvin (Mich.), 634
  14.    Wisconsin-Whitewater, 615.75
  15.    Johns Hopkins (Md.), 613
  16.    Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 602.5
  17.    CORTLAND (N.Y.), 586.5
  18.    Emory (Ga.), 583.25
  19.    Messiah (Pa.), 580.75
  20.    Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.), 570

Other New York schools in Top 100:

  21.    St. Lawrence, 564.75
  22.    Ithaca, 560.5
  45.    Geneseo, 330.75
  46.    New York University, 327
  55.    Skidmore, 288.25
  t62.   Rochester Inst. of Tech., 254
  64.    Oneonta, 253
  t75.   Plattsburgh, 229.5
  t75.   Rochester, 229.5
  97.    Brockport, 192.5
  t100. Fredonia, 186
  t100. Merchant Marine Academy, 186

Complete standings are online at: www.nacda.com

2009-10 CORTLAND TEAMS PARTICIPATING IN NCAA DIVISION III POSTSEASON PLAY
(national finish in parentheses)

Baseball (2nd)
Men's Lacrosse (tied for 3rd)
Men's Cross Country (5th)
Field Hockey (tied for 5th)
Women's Lacrosse (tied for 9th)
Wrestling (22nd)
Softball (tied for 26th)
Women's Swimming and Diving (33rd)
Women's Basketball (tied for 33rd)
Men's Swimming and Diving (44th)
Men's Indoor Track and Field (tied for 61st)
Men's Outdoor Track and Field (tied for 74th)

(NOTE: Women's gymnastics finished fourth 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
2008-09: 5th
2009-10: 17th