June 7, 2012

Emory University’s Department of Athletics finished sixth in the 2011-12 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup Division III standings, as announced by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

The sixth-place finish marks the 11^th time in the past 12 years that the Eagles’ program has recorded a top-10 showing -- 2000-01 (fourth), 2001-02 (fifth), 2002-03 (second), 2003-04 (second), 2004-05 (eighth), 2005-06 (fourth), 2006-07 (ninth), 2007-08 (seventh), 2008-09 (sixth), 2009-10 (18^th) and 2010-11 (7^th ).   Emory, which stood 14^th following the winter standings, registered a final total of 727 points.

Emory had 14 teams compete in NCAA Championships action during 2011-12 while also claiming eight University Athletic Association championships.

The Eagles had six overall top-10 finishes in the 2011-12 Director’s Cup standings: women’s swimming and diving (first), men’s tennis (first), men’s swimming and diving (third), women’s tennis (third), women’s soccer (ninth) and volleyball (ninth).

Middleberry College (Vt.), last year’s runner-up, finished in the No. 1 spot  with 1,040.75 points.  Washington University finished second with 980 points while Williams College, which had finished first the prior 13 years was third with 964 points.  Amherst (950 pts.) and Wisconsin-Whitewater (815 pts.) rounded out the top five.

The Learfield Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the NACDA and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 18 sports -- nine women’s and nine men’s.