Keene State finishes 63rd in 2012 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Standings
KEENE, N.H. 6/11/12 – A strong spring season elevated Keene State College to a 63rd place finish in the recently announced National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Division III Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings. The standings included 317 schools from around the country.
The Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the (NACDA) and USA Today to recognize the top athletic program in all three NCAA Divisions as well as the NAIA. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 18 sports -- nine women’s and nine men’s.
Keene State, which tallied 278.50 total points, sent its baseball, softball and women’s lacrosse teams to their respective NCAA tournaments this spring and also earned points in men’s outdoor track. The Owl softball team advanced to the championship round of the regional tournament at Amherst College while Glenn Guilmette, a junior from Kensington, N.H., finished fourth in the javelin event at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field championships.
In the fall, the KSC field hockey team earned an NCAA berth with senior Paige Mills (Keene, N.H.) also securing points with her All-American 17th place performance at the NCAA cross country Championships. Sophomore Drew Ledwith (Keene, N.H.) highlighted a solid showing in the pool by the Owl men’s swim team at the NCAA meet with his second place finish in the 1,650-yard free and fifth place effort in the 5,000 free.
Middlebury (Vt.) College claimed its first Cup, finishing the year with 1,040.75 points. Washington (Mo.) University finished second with 980.25 points. Williams (Mass.) College, which had won 13 straight NACDA titles, placed third with 964.50 points.
The 278.50 points is the fifth highest total accumulated by Keene State in the standings since joining Division III in the 1997-98 season. The Owls finished a program best 19th in 2006-07 with 501.50 points. Keene State has been the top ranked public Division III institution in the standings 11 out of the past 15 years, including the last six seasons.