Nearing the end of another successful winter athletics season, UMass Lowell currently ranks tied for 10
th in the first winter edition of the 2011-12 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Standings, released Thursday by National Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
Buoyed by the men's indoor track and field team's best-ever ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championship last week, UMass Lowell compiled 257 points and currently shares 10
th place alongside Chico State. Among Northeast-10 Conference and East Region institutions, Stonehill College is currently tied for 40
th with 140 points while American International ranks 43
rd (134.75) and New Haven 44
th (134).
Adams (Colo.) State College currently leads the Division II field with 420.50 points while Grand Valley (Mich.) State is second with 411 points. Western (Colo.) State (365.75), Augustana (S.D.) University (329.50) and Grand Canyon (Ariz.) University (303.50) rounded out the top five colleges.
The Learfield 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 could better its place when the final winter standings – which will include the men's and women's basketball seasons – are released later this month. The River Hawk men's basketball team earned its fourth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
UMass Lowell was also propelled by another spectacular fall season, which
saw the field hockey team (19-4) advance to the NCAA Championship match for the fifth straight year, suffering a 2-1 loss to West Chester University.
Additionally, the women's soccer team advanced to the NCAA Tournament East Region Championship match (round of 16) – its best showing in school history – where it lost 2-1 at host and eventual NCAA Champion Saint Rose.
The men's cross country team moved on to the NCAA Championship for the 12
th straight year (22
nd in program history) where it placed 20
th. The River Hawks booked their place at the NCAAs after winning their fourth straight NCAA East Region title.