Wheaton Ranks Among NCAA Division III's Top 15 Percent in Sports Academy Directors' Cup Standings

CLEVELAND, OH--Wheaton College is ranked among the top 15 percent of over 400 NCAA Division III institutions in the final winter United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup standings. The Lyons stand 59th nationally, ninth in New England and third in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). The school placed 48th last academic year, and this year's final rankings will be revealed after the spring season. The program is presented by the nation's athletics directors.

Wheaton's accumulation of 179.83 points edged out regional school Colby College by 1.33 points and is under 20 points from the top 50. The Lyons trail Montclair State University (N.J.) by 5.17 points and Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) by 7.67. Fellow NEWMAC schools Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Springfield College rank 21st and 24th, respectively.

Washington University (Mo.) has regained the lead after recently capturing the men's basketball championship with 693.5 points. Amherst College is second with 647 points after finishing as the runner up to Washington in men's basketball and second in women's swimming and diving. Williams College, which won 11 of the first 12 cups, stands third with 617.25 points and is followed by The College of New Jersey's 516 points and Middlebury College's 508.5.

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 fifth year sponsoring the program. Winter standings are based on the completion of men's and women's basketball, fencing, men's and women's ice hockey, skiing, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's indoor track and field, and men's wrestling.

Wheaton was buoyed by three scoring winter teams, as women's basketball qualified for the NCAA Tournament and men's and women's indoor track and field each tallied points at the NCAA Championship. A five-time national champion, the women's indoor track and field team under 14th-year head coach Paul Souza earned 45.5 points after a pair of athletes scored while the team tied for 25th at the national meet. Sophomore Howard Powell's (Brooklyn, NY/Boys and Girls) All-America finish in the 55-meter hurdles led the men's team to a tie for 61st nationally and 9.33 points in the NACDA Cup standings.

Wheaton's remaining 25 winter points came from women's basketball, as the Lyons became first-time contributors to the cup standings under fifth-year head coach Melissa Hodgdon. The Blue and White advanced to its first NCAA Tournament since 1995 while winning its initial regular season and conference tournament crowns in 13 seasons. At 22-7, Wheaton posted the third-highest win total in program history.

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. Winter 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 at www.nacda.com.