Wheaton 50th in 2005 Directors' Cup

CLEVELAND, OH--Wheaton College finished the 2005 fall season tied for 50th in the NCAA Division III United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup standings. Following last year's 41st-place standing, Wheaton was tied for eighth among New England institutions through the final rankings of this fall's competition. The program is presented by the nation's athletics directors.

Wheaton has recorded 89 points thus far, matching the totals amassed by Eastern University (Pa.), Lynchburg College (Va.), Maryville College (Tenn.), New Jersey City University and Western New England College. In a tightly-packed group of schools, Wheaton is three points out of 45th and just 11 behind the 40th-place school. Springfield College, which stands 32nd, is the only other New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) member in the top 50.

The College of New Jersey currently sits first overall with 339 points, while Messiah College (Pa.) is second with 290 points after winning both soccer crowns and finishing second in field hockey. Calvin College (Mich.), Tufts University and Trinity University (Texas) round out the top five with 283, 252 and 221 points, respectively. Williams College, which has won nine of the 10 Cups, is sixth with 216 points.

The United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. NACDA administers the program and the United States Sports Academy, based in Daphne, Alabama, is in its third year sponsoring the program. These 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.

Wheaton's points have come courtesy of its soccer teams, which each qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The women recorded 64 points after advancing to the sectional semifinals, while the men picked up 25 points. On the women's side, the Lyons recorded an 18-5-2 mark under head coach Luis Reis while participating in their sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament, including their fourth straight Sweet 16 appearance. Wheaton was ranked 14th in the final National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) national poll despite seeing its 16-game unbeaten streak come to an end in the tournament.

The Blue and White's men went 13-5-2 overall with head coach Matt Cushing at the helm and made their sixth NCAA Tournament field, including the fifth in six years. After going 10-2-2 over the final two months of the season, Wheaton received votes in the final NSCAA national poll.

Cup 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. Fall standings that are published mid-year are unofficial, as 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.