Print Story | Email Story

Issued: June 14, 2007

BLUGOLDS FINISH 18TH IN DIRECTORS’ CUP COMPETITION

Cleveland, OHIO - The UW-Eau Claire athletics program has achieved its best U.S. Sports Academy Directors’ Cup finish in six years with an 18th place out of the 420 schools in NCAA Division III.

In the 12 years since the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) initiated the national All Sports competition, only once have the Blugolds finished lower than 38th.

This year, the Blugolds amassed 525 points, scoring in 10 different national championships. That is the second best point total ever accumulated by UWEC, exceeded only by the 545 points totaled in 1999-2000 when the Blugolds achieved their highest finish ever with an eighth place.

The Blugolds’ largest point totals in 2006-07 came from women’s indoor track and softball, both of which finished third in the NCAA championships. The Blugolds also scored significantly with a 7th by women’s golf, 9th by men’s golf, and 12th by women’s cross country in addition to having the soccer and volleyball teams reach the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament. The Blugolds also picked up points in men’s and women’s outdoor track and wrestling.

Williams College (Mass.) defended its title as the best athletics program in NCAA Division III competition by winning its 11th U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup, the prestigious award presented annually by NACDA, United States Sports Academy and USA TODAY to the best overall collegiate athletics programs in the country.

The Sports Academy Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the NACDA and USA Today. The United States Sports Academy, based in Daphne, Alabama, is the program sponsor. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 18 sports – nine women’s and nine men’s.

- TP -

Go Back