CLEVELAND, Ohio - Trinity University finished the year in 20th place to lead five SCAC institutions ranked in the prestigious 2021-22 Division III Learfield Sports Directors' Cup final standings. Complete Standings
Led by three-time NACDA Athletic Director of the Year Bob King in his 29th year at the helm of the athletics department, the Tigers posted the department's best finish in the Directors' Cup standings since finishing 18th for the 2013-14 calendar.
Since the inception of the Directors' Cup for the 1995-96 academic year, Trinity has finished top-20 in NCAA III on 11 occasions, all under King's direction, five of which landed in the top 10.
A total of 14 Trinity teams contributed to the department's 685.50 points. Tiger Baseball led the charge with its return to the NCAA III World Series earlier this month for 78 points.
Colorado College amassed 183.5 points and finished in 102nd after closing out the spring season with an additional 62.5 half points after posting a tie for 17th in men’s lacrosse and earning 60th in women’s track and field. Texas Lutheran University finished tied for 188th in the standings with 83 total points. The Bulldogs’ softball program capped off yet another historical season with its third consecutive College World Series appearance and finishing tied for third.
Southwestern University ended in a tie for 241st place with 50 points, having earned its points with a women’s volleyball run in the NCAA Tournament last fall.
Centenary College rounds out the SCAC teams represented, sitting in a tie for 285th place with 25 points after securing its second bid into the NCAA Div. III Baseball Championship last month.
Tufts took the top spot in Division III at the completion of the year with 1080.00 points. The Jumbos edged out Johns Hopkins by just 37 points, who finished in second with 1043.00, while Middleburry rounded out the top three in third with 1000.50.
The Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in NCAA Championships.
To date, all 13 spring NCAA championships have been completed with the following institutions capturing titles: baseball – Eastern Connecticut State; women's golf - Emory; men's golf - Methodist; women's lacrosse - Middlebury; men's lacrosse – RIT; women's rowing - Wellesley; softball – Christopher Newport; women's tennis - Claremont-Mudd-Scripps; men's tennis - UChicago; women's track and field - Loras; men's track and field – Wisconsin-Eau Claire; men's volleyball - Carthage; women's water polo - Stanford.
