CLEVELAND -- Standing at fifth-place with 248 points, the Cougars enjoy their highest ever ranking in the United States Sports Academy Division I Sears Director's Cup standings after the final fall rankings were released January 8th. BYU's fifth-place finish leads the Mountain West Conference in the cup standings.
The Cougars gained points after a successful fall season with a second-place finish by the women's cross country team, the women's soccer teams fifth-place finish, men's cross country 19th-place finish and women's volleyball 17th-place finish.
The Cougars landed a fifth-place spot behind University of Michigan with 482 points, UCLA's 298 points, Stanford's 289 points and Maryland's 275 points.
"We had the best fall we have ever had," BYU Women's Athletic Director Elaine Michaelis said. "Each one of our teams had great success and the opportunity to participate in NCAA competition. Congratulations is in order for each of our coaches."
These standings are based upon the completion of women and men's cross country, field hockey, I-A and I-AA football, women and men's soccer and volleyball. BYU scored well in every sport they competed in, with 90 points from the women's cross country team, 35 from the men's cross country team, 73 from the women's soccer team and 50 from the women's volleyball team.
Previously, the Cougars have recorded two fifth and two seventh place fall finishes. Last year the Cougars placed 20th leading the MWC in their finish. Since the Sears Directors' Cup was first awarded during the 1993-1994 season, nine of the eleven years BYU has been ranked in the top 15 during fall standings.
The USSA Director's Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 20 sports -- 10 women's and 10 men's. Each national champion receives 100 points.
"This is a sign of the quality of our BYU teams this year," Michaelis said. "We have high expectations for the winter and spring sports this year, and hope to keep this top rank."
Please note, standings published midseason are unofficial standings. Official final standings will be published upon the completion of the spring season.