Virginia Ranked 18th In Sears Directors' Cup Standings

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Jan. 14, 2003

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The University of Virginia intercollegiate athletic program is ranked 18th with 172 points in the final fall standings for the 2002-03 Division I Sears Directors’ Cup. The fall standings are based on the completion of the seasons for women’s and men’s cross country, field hockey, football, women’s and men’s soccer, and women’s volleyball.

The final standings will be published upon completion of the spring sports seasons. Points are awarded based on each institution’s finish in up to 20 sports, 10 for men and 10 for women. Each national champion receives 100 points.

Four of Virginia’s fall athletic teams were involved in postseason competition. UVa’s women’s cross country team finished 20th at the NCAA Meet, the football team defeated West Virginia 48-22 in the Continental Tire Bowl, the women’s soccer team advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament and the men’s soccer team also participated in the NCAA Tournament.

Stanford is ranked first in the final fall standings with 443 points followed by Penn State (364) and Notre Dame (319). Other Atlantic Coast Conference schools ranked in the Top 25 include Wake Forest (5th, 277 points), Maryland (6th, 244 points), North Carolina (10th, 229 points) and Duke (24th, 150 points).

There are four Sears Directors’ Cup Awards, one to honor the institution with the best all-around athletic program in each of the NCAA’s Divisions I, II and III, and the NAIA.

Virginia finished 27th in last year’s Division I Sears Directors’ Cup rankings with 626.5 points. UVa has been ranked in the Top 30 in the Sears Directors’ cup standings in all nine years of the Directors’ Cup program’s existence. Virginia ranked 30th in 2001, 13th in 2000, eighth in 1999, 13th in 1998, 22nd in 1997, 21st in 1996, tied for 19th in 1995 and 19th in 1994.