(Portions of this story were taken from the Trinity
University website)
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Trinity University Tigers
are ranked No. 15 - among 430 institutions - in the prestigious
2008-2009 Division III Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings.
Complete NACDA Release
Trinity, with Director of Athletics Bob King, has amassed 408
points in the winter standings, based on NCAA postseason
competition. Amherst (Mass.) is the winter leader, with 679 points.
Tufts (Mass.) is just ahead of Trinity at No. 14, with 408.50
points. The Directors' Cup program is administered by the National
Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
Other SCAC schools ranked include DePauw University (102nd), Centre
College (108th), Oglethorpe University (171st), Millsaps College
(182nd), Colorado College (187th), and Rhodes College and
Sewanee-The University of the South (tied at 227th).
With the release of the fall standings, Trinity was 12th in Division III. Earlier this winter, Trinity had slipped to 13th, before moving to its current spot.
Among the schools ahead of Trinity in the latest standings are Williams (MA) College, Washington (MO) University, Emory (GA) University, and the College of New Jersey.
Trinity's men's track and field team, led by head coach David Svoboda, finished sixth at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Senior Todd Wildman of Dallas (Jesuit) single-handedly led the Tigers to the high finish. Wildman captured the national pentathlon title, with a score of 3,859 points. In the high jump competition, Wildman placed second with a mark of 6 feet, 9 ¾ inches (2.08 meters) and was seventh in the 55-meter hurdles (7.70 seconds). He earned All-America honors in all three events.
The Tiger women's track and field team, also guided by coach Svoboda, placed in a tie for the No. 39 slot at the Indoor Championships. Senior Emily Loeffler of San Antonio (O'Connor) was responsible for Trinity's top-40 finish. Loeffler placed fifth in the 5,000 meters (17:9.01) and was awarded All-America recognition. The versatile Loeffler garnered her third All-America award. Loeffler became Trinity's first-ever cross country All-American (17th place at the NCAAs) and earned the honor in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (third place) at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Trinity's women's cross country team, coached by Jenny Breuer, placed sixth at the NCAAs last fall.
Tiger men's basketball, led by head coach Pat Cunningham, advanced to the NCAA second round, in the regional tournament hosted by Trinity. The Tigers qualified for the postseason event for the seventh time, and the sixth under coach Cunningham.
Trinity's women's diving team, led by head coach Stan Randall, placed 16th at the NCAA Championships. Sophomore Haley Emerick of Portland, Texas (Gregory-Portland); and junior Lindsay Martin of Longview, Texas (Pine Tree); each received All-America honors. Emerick finished third on the 3-meter board (467.80) and Martin was fifth (456.80). In the 1-meter event, Martin was third (441.60) and Emerick placed sixth (414.70).
The final Directors' Cup standings will be released at the end of spring sports competition.