Dec. 28, 2008

LOWELL - Here's hoping a brilliant fall season carries into the winter.

UMass Lowell capped the fall season ranked No. 2 among NCAA Division II colleges in the third installment of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA)/Learfield Directors' Cup, released Monday.

With 241 points, UMass Lowell's ranking is the highest-ever for an East Region and Northeast-10 Conference institution. Dowling College, the next-highest East Region school, is ranked No. 18 with 154 points while Franklin Pierce was the next-highest school at No. 36 with 103 points.

Grand Valley State leads the Cup standings with 382 points. Tampa (231) is ranked No. 3 and was followed by Minnesota-Duluth (230) and Metropolitan State (217).

The Directors' Cup points system is based on each institution's finish in NCAA Tournaments in up to 14 sports (seven women's and seven men's).

The NACDA/Learfield standings is the first of two prestigious polls which UMass Lowell leads. The River Hawks also sit atop the NE-10 Presidents Cup Standings for the first time since joining the Conference in 2000.

UMass Lowell had four teams in NCAA Tournaments this fall, led by its field hockey team (20-5) that advanced to the NCAA Tournament championship match for the fourth time in six years (falling to Bloomsburg, 6-2).

The field hockey team's finish was good for 90 points.

The men's soccer team (13-4-4) matched its best-ever season, reaching the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal/East Region Championship before losing a 1-0 heartbreak at Dowling in the final minute of double overtime on Nov. 22. UMass Lowell was awarded 70 points for the team's finish.

The River Hawks also had a stellar showing in men's and women's cross country as both teams won the NE-10 and NCAA East Region championships. At the NCAAs, the men's cross country team finished 13th, good for 51 points, while the women took 22nd (30 points).