Dec. 26, 2010

UMass Lowell, fresh off another stellar fall season, is ranked tied for 18th in the Fall 2010 edition of the Learfield Sports Directors Cup standings, released Thursday by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

UMass Lowell, which compiled 151.00 points, is the highest-ranked Northeast-10 Conference institution and second-highest school from the NCAA East Region behind No. 14 Dowling College, which compiled 166.00 points.

Stonehill College came in at No. 26 while Saint Rose is ranked No. 31 and Franklin Pierce No. 39. UMass Lowell shared 18th-place with Wingate (N.C.) University.

Grand Valley State, which won NCAA titles in women's soccer and women's cross country, leads the standings with 411.00 points and was followed by Shippensburg (264.00), Central Missouri (259.00), Tampa (224.00) and Cal State-Chico (219.00).

The Directors' Cup points system is based on each institution's finish in NCAA Tournament in up to 14 sports (seven women's, seven men's) throughout the academic year.

UMass Lowell had two teams advance to the NCAA Tournament in the fall, led by the field hockey team which captured the NCAA Championship with a spotless 24-0 record. Additionally, the River Hawks captured the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament - its sixth tournament title in nine years - as well as the regular season crown with a 10-0 record.

After winning its fifth straight NCAA East Region Championship, the men's cross country team enjoyed its 11th straight trip to the NCAA Championship where it placed 13th behind junior Jeff Veiga (Lowell, Mass.), who finished third individually.

The NCAAs capped another stellar year for the River Hawks, who also won the Northeast-10 Conference Championship for the fourth consecutive year and placed fourth at the New England Championship, topping the Division II field.

UMass Lowell finished 22nd in the 2009-10 Learfield Directors' Cup final standings, two places behind NE-10 leader Stonehill.