UW-Oshkosh Places 17th In Directors' Cup Standings
UW-Oshkosh accumulated points in 12 of its 21 sports to finish 17th in the 2016 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings.
The competition, which began in 1996, is designed to recognize the best overall National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III athletics program in the country.
Williams College (Mass.) recorded national titles in both women’s cross country and women’s soccer and a national runner-up finish in men’s cross country to capture its fourth straight Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup title and 19th overall. The Ephs scored in 16 sports and concluded the competition with 1,098.25 points.
Washington University-St. Louis (Mo.) tallied 1,013 points to place second among the 323 schools that scored. Emory University (Ga.) finished third with 969 points, Tufts University (Mass.) fourth with 882.25 and Middlebury College (Vt.) fifth with 860.5.
UW-Oshkosh totaled 606.5 points to rank 17th for the second time in three years. It was the 14th top-20 finish for the Titans.
UW-Oshkosh scored 70 points with its fifth-place finish in football, 69 with its eighth-place finish in women’s outdoor track & field, 63 with its 13th-place finish in men’s cross country, 61.5 with its 13th-place finish in men’s indoor track & field and 60 with its 15th-place finish in women’s cross country.
The Titans also earned 55 points with their 17th-place finish in women’s indoor track & field and 18th-place finish in men’s outdoor track & field.
UW-Oshkosh wrapped up its scoring with the 50 points (17th place) from women’s basketball, 48 (14th place) from women’s golf and 25 (33rd place) apiece from men’s basketball, men’s soccer and women’s soccer.
In addition to UW-Oshkosh, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference had UW-Whitewater finish eighth with 786 points, UW-La Crosse 10th with 703.5, UW-Eau Claire 19th with 592.75, UW-Stevens Point 31st with 474.25, UW-Platteville 58th with 320.75, UW-Stout 98 with 199.75 and UW-River Falls 113th with 172.
UW-Oshkosh finished 44th in last year's chase for the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup with 366 points. The Titans obtained top-10 finishes in 1996 (third), 1997 (fifth), 2001 (seventh), 2002 (eighth), 2003 (eighth) and 1999 (10th). UW-Oshkosh's other placements were 11th in 1998, 12th in 2007 & 2011, 15th in 2004, 17th in 2009, 2012 & 2014, 21st in 2008 & 2013, 23rd in 2010, 29th in 2000, 33rd in 2006 and 38th in 2005.
The Learfield Sports Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each school's national postseason finish in up to nine sports for men and nine for women. Each national champion received 100 points.