Salisbury places 13th in final Directors' Cup standings

CLEVELAND – With two national championships and NCAA championship tournament appearances by eight other teams, Salisbury University finished the 2011-12 academic year as one of the top teams in Division III athletics as the National Association of College Directors of Athletics released the final standings for the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup. Salisbury placed 13th this year, one of the highest finishes for the Sea Gulls in the Cup’s 17-year history.

The men’s lacrosse team collected the school’s 16th team national championship this year to earn 100 points in the standings while junior Chelsea Tavik earned the university’s 11th individual national title, claiming the women’s shot put crown at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships this March, giving Salisbury another 57 points toward its total of 643.

The point total is the program’s second best, trailing only 673.25 points earned during the 2009-10 season.

This year Salisbury collected 90 points for the women’s lacrosse team’s run to the national championship game and 70 points each from the football and field hockey teams advancing to the national quarterfinals.

Salisbury also claimed points in baseball (64), softball (50) volleyball (50), women’s outdoor track & field (42), women’s soccer (25) and men’s soccer (25).

The Learfield Sports Directors’ 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 18 sports -- nine women’s and nine men’s.

To see the entire Division III final standings, click here.

Salisbury's top finishes in Directors' Cup history