Wingate, Lenoir-Rhyne among Learfield Cup Standings Top 30
Wingate is No. 12 and Lenoir-Rhyne No. 28 in the final fall Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup Division II standings, which recognizes institutions’ performance on the national level in up to 14 sports.
CLEVELAND – Wingate is No. 12 and Lenoir-Rhyne No. 28 in the final fall Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Division II standings, which recognizes institutions' performance on the national level in up to 14 sports.
The Learfield Sports Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of America (NACDA) and USA Today. Fall point totals were calculated based on finishes in football, volleyball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, women's field hockey and men's water polo.
Wingate's ranking of No. 12 in the standings was bolstered by strong national performances this fall in volleyball and men's and women's soccer.
The Bulldogs went 32-3 in volleyball and 13-6-1 in men's soccer, with both programs reaching the national quarterfinal round of their respective NCAA Championships. WU's women's soccer team also earned an NCAA Championship selection and finished 14-3-2 overall.
Lenoir-Rhyne is tied for 28th in the standings after its football, women's soccer and volleyball programs received NCAA Championship selections in the fall.
L-R's football program reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament, finishing the season 9-3 overall. The Bears' women's soccer team, meanwhile, went 16-2-2 and their volleyball squad went 19-12.
Lenoir-Rhyne also got a boost in the standings from its women's cross country team, which finished fifth at the NCAA Southeast Region Championship in early November.
Other SAC schools appearing in the standings' top 125 were Carson-Newman at No. 76, Tusculum at No. 81, Mars Hill at No. 93, Newberry at No. 99 and Lincoln Memorial at No. 124.