Wheaton College Currently Ranks 37th Overall in the NCAA Division III Sears Directors' Cup Standings

CLEVELAND, OH- Wheaton College, which earned its highest ranking in the NCAA Division III Sears Directors' Cup championships a year ago, is currently ranked in a tie for 37th overall and fifth best in New England following the fall competition. The program is presented by the nation's athletics directors.

Wheaton has posted 90 points with four other institutions, which is 10 points ahead of six schools that have tallied 80 points thus far. Williams, which has won five of the six championships, is the current leader with 268 points, as the Ephs have scored in six of the seven fall sports. The College of New Jersey is second with 253 points, followed by Messiah (Penn.) with 215 points, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with 210 points and Ithaca College (NY) with 203 points.

The Sears Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. It is administered by NACDA and sponsored by Sears, Roebuck and Co. These final fall standings are based on the completion of men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball.

The Lyons collected points from their men's and women's soccer teams. Head coach Matt Cushing's men's soccer program reached new heights in the fall of 2001, as Wheaton advanced farther than any collegiate soccer program at the Norton school. The Lyons finished their storybook season as national quarterfinalists at 21-2-0, just two games short of a national championship, and New England champions for the first time ever. On the women's side, head coach Luis Reis and his squad enjoyed their most successful season in the program's 22-year history with a mark of 20-1-0, as the Lyons were selected to host the 2001 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer New England Regional Championship for the first time.

Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 18 sports [^] nine for the men and nine for the women. Each national champion receives 100 points. Final fall standings that are published midseason are unofficial standings. Official standings will be published upon the completion of the spring season. Complete standings and the scoring structure can be found on NACDA's web site at www.nacda.com.