June 16, 2003
ORLANDO, Fla. -
Highlighted by four top-10 NCAA finishes in the last month - including its first-ever softball national championship - UC Davis scored a program-best 857 points to capture the program's sixth NACDA Directors' Cup for NCAA Division II, it was announced Monday by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
The Aggies, in their final year of NCAA Division II postseason competition, have won the prestigious honor four consecutive years. UC Davis also won the award - formerly called the Sears Directors' Cup - in 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001 and 2002.
UC Davis announced in March its intention to reclassify to NCAA Division I and will begin transitioning this fall.
UC Davis was presented with its 2003 award by NACDA at a luncheon on Sunday at the organization's national convention in Orlando, Fla. Director of Athletics Greg Warzecka accepted the honor on behalf of the campus. Grand Valley State (Mich.) finished second with 797.5 points, North Florida was third with 628.5 and fellow California Collegiate Athletic Association member Cal State Bakersfield was fourth with 597.5.
"We had another great year and it's wonderful that the efforts of our teams have led to another Directors' Cup," said Associate Director of Athletics Larry Swanson. "It's a tremendous honor and we're proud to have won."
The award is presented each year to the most successful athletic programs at each of the NCAA Division I, II and III levels, as well as the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Points are awarded to schools whose teams advance to NCAA or NAIA Championship play.
UC Davis, which scored in 13 of a possible 14 sports, has never finished lower than second for the esteemed award. A total of 17 Aggie teams were represented during NCAA Championship play this past year, including the women's rowing team which won the Division II title for the second straight year earlier this month. Due to a revised scoring structure this year, however, the title did not earn points for UC Davis toward the NACDA Directors' Cup.
The Aggies catapulted to the championship after entering the spring in third place with 455.5 points, trailing leader Grand Valley State (Mich.) which had 473. UC Davis, however, made a final run for the Directors' Cup by securing top-10 NCAA finishes in softball (1st), men's outdoor track and field (4th), baseball (T5th) and golf (9th) - all four between May 18 and June 1. Overall, UC Davis had nine scoring teams place among the top 10 during the 2002-03 year, a list which also includes men's swimming and diving (5th), women's soccer (T5th), women's swimming and diving (6th), men's cross country (8th) and women's cross country (10th).
"This is an award for the entire athletics department, from the student-athletes and coaches to the staff and athletics administration. That's why it's so rewarding " said softball coach Kathy DeYoung. "I'm just so happy that our team was able to contribute. It's a great way to leave Division II."
The Aggies averaged 65.9 points out of a possible 100 for each of its scoring teams. UC Davis also scored 52.5 points by its women's indoor track and field team, which tied for 20th, and 13.5 by its wrestling team. However, those points were not counted toward the Aggies' total since only the best finishes among either the indoor and outdoor track and field teams are tallied, and a maximum of seven men's teams had more points than wrestling.
UC Davis sponsors 25 intercollegiate varsity sports - 13 for women and 12 for men - with approximately 800 student-athletes participating in those programs.
The NACDA Directors' Cup program, which awards Waterford Crystal trophies to each winner, is a joint effort between USA Today and NACDA.
Points are awarded in up to 14 sports in the Division II race, depending on the size of the national championship. The top seven sports for both men and women count toward the final standings. A total of 215 institutions scored points in this year's Division II competition. The Aggies' point total eclipsed the program's previous best of 743 from last year.
The Aggie baseball team scored points toward the Directors' Cup for the first time, winning the NCAA West Regional and advancing to the Division II championship finals tournament in Montgomery, Ala.
"You can definitely see the pride people take in the department," said first-year baseball coach Rex Peters. "Coaches cheer one another on and take a genuine interest in sports other than their own. There is a definite camaraderie in the department."
Grand Valley had 331 points to lead after the fall season, capitalizing on a football national championship and third-place finishes by women's cross country and women's volleyball. UC Davis had 256 points, scoring in four of its six sports. Included was the women's soccer team's tie for fifth, the best-ever NCAA showing for the program.
Stanford defended its Directors' Cup championship for Division I, while Williams (Mass.) and Lindenwood (Mo.) did the same at Division III and the NAIA, respectively.
This years' trophy will join the others currently on display in the Hall of Fame trophy room at Recreation Hall. A formal presentation of this year's award will occur during the fall on the UC Davis campus.
NACDA DIRECTORS' CUP
FINAL NCAA DIVISION II TOP 10 STANDINGS
1. UC DAVIS 857.0
2. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 797.5
3. North Florida 628.5
4. Cal St. Bakersfield 597.5
5. South Dakota State 562.0
6. Northern Colorado 555.5
7. Abilene Christian (Texas) 539.0
8. Truman State (Mo.) 492.5
9. Central Missouri State 488.0
10. Nebraska-Omaha 472.0
UC DAVIS' NCAA FINISHES FOR 2002-03
(NACDA Directors' Cup points in parentheses.)
MEN'S SPORTS
Outdoor Track and Field 4th (80)
Swimming and Diving 5th (75)
Baseball T5th (70)
Football T5th (60)
Cross Country 8th (66)
Golf 9th (69)
Tennis T17th (50)
Wrestling (Div. I)* T59th (13.5)
WOMEN'S SPORTS
Softball 1st (100)
Rowing* 1st (na)
Swimming and Diving 6th (72)
Soccer T5th (70)
Cross Country 10th (60)
Outdoor Track and Field 15th (60)
Indoor Track and Field* T20th (52.5)
Tennis T33rd (25)
* - not counted toward final total due to scoring structure
SYNOPSIS OF DIVISION II POINT SYSTEM
* Standings based upon the size of the bracket. The largest bracket counted is a 64-team bracket. First place for all sports is 100 points... Sports in which teams are not placed into brackets (i.e. cross country, etc.) have similar scoring structures... Only sports which compete in NCAA Championships are counted.
* A total of 14 sports are counted in the standings - the top seven for both men and women.
* Men's sports that may count include: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field (indoor/outdoor) and wrestling.
* Women's sports that may count include: basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field (indoor/outdoor) and volleyball.
* Only the higher point total of either indoor and outdoor track for each of the men and women will be counted.
* Coed sports that may count include: fencing and skiing.
