The Virginia Cavaliers celebrate after their 2019 NCAA National Championship. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, Ohio (VirginiaSports.com) – NCAA championships in men’s basketball and men’s lacrosse propelled Virginia to an eighth-place finish in the final 2018-19 Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup competition, announced Friday (June 28) by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
Virginia posted its sixth top-10 finish in the decade and placed in the top 25 for the 13th consecutive year. UVA is one of 12 schools to rank in the top 30 of the final Directors’ Cup standings in the 26-year existence of the program.
Points in the Director’s Cup standings are awarded by a school’s NCAA postseason finish in 19 sports, four of which must be men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and volleyball.
“Our top-10 finish in the Directors’ Cup reflects the hard work and dedication of our student-athletes, coaches and staff,” Virginia Director of Athletics Carla Williams said. “We had a fantastic athletics season, highlighted by a pair of NCAA championships. Our fans gave us incredible support, and we look forward to ensuring our sports programs are a source of great pride for the University, the community and the Commonwealth.”
In addition to the pair of NCAA championships, 21 other UVA teams – or programs with individuals representing their teams – appeared in postseason competition.
The Virginia Cavaliers celebrate with the NCAA lacrosse trophy. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images)
UVA captured two Atlantic Coast Conference championships and its 81 conference titles since the spring of 2002 are the most of any ACC school during that time. In 2018-19, UVA won ACC championships in men’s lacrosse (18th overall and first since 2010) and rowing (10 consecutive and 19th in 20 years).
Individually, Jordan Scott became the first ACC male competitor to win the indoor national title in the triple jump, while wrestler Jack Muller was the runner-up at the NCAA Championships in the 125-pound weight class. Tony Bennett (men’s basketball), Andres Pedroso (men’s tennis), Lars Tiffany (men’s lacrosse) and Bryan Fetzer (men’s outdoor track & field) earned ACC Coach of the Year honors.
Stanford finished first in the NCAA Division I Directors’ Cup standings for the 23rd consecutive year with 1,567.75 points and Michigan was second with 1,272.25 points.
UVA was one of five ACC programs to finish in the top 25 of the Directors’ Cup standings. Other ACC schools in the top 25 of the Directors’ Cup standings were Florida State (7th, 1,046.25), Duke (9th, 1,001), North Carolina (10th, 987) and Notre Dame (17th, 885). There are five Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup awards, one to honor the institution with the best overall athletics program in each of the NCAA’s Divisions I and I-AAA, II and III, and the NAIA. The Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between NACDA and USA Today.
2018-19 Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup Final Top 25 Point Standings
1. Stanford 1567.75
2. Michigan 1272.25
3. Florida 1156.75
4. Texas 1148.50
5. USC 1075.75
6. UCLA 1056.50
7. Florida State 1046.25
8. Virginia 1037.50
9. Duke 1001.00
10. N. Carolina 987.00
11. LSU 986.83
12. Ohio State 986.00
13. Penn State 963.50
14. Kentucky 947.75
15. Texas A&M 933.75
16. Wisconsin 895.00
17. Notre Dame 885.00
18. California 835.75
19. Arizona State 821.00
20. Minnesota 813.75
21. Georgia 808.00
22. S. Carolina 805.75
23. Arkansas 803.00
24. Washington 801.00
25. Tennessee 797.75
ACC Schools in Final 2018-19 Directors’ Cup Standings
7. Florida State 1046.25
8. Virginia 1037.50
9. Duke 1001.00
10. N. Carolina 987.00
17. Notre Dame 885.00
26. NC State 794.00
35. Louisville 648.50
36. Wake Forest 648.25
49. Virginia Tech 511.83
54. Syracuse 463.50
58. Miami 420.83
66. Georgia Tech 358.00
73. Clemson 305.00
87. Boston Coll. 216.00
137. Pittsburgh 114.50
Schools Ranked in the Top-30 of All 24 Directors’ Cup Point Standings (1994-2019)
California
Florida
Georgia
Michigan
North Carolina
Ohio State
Penn State
Stanford
Texas
UCLA
USC
Virginia
Virginia’s Final Position in Each of the Directors’ Cup Rankings
2019 8th
2018 21st
2017 19th
2016 8th
2015 6th
2014 4th
2013 20th
2012 15th
2011 7th
2010 3rd
2009 8th
2008 17th
2007 13th
2006 26th
2005 13th
2004 30th
2003 19th
2002 27th
2001 30th
2000 13th
1999 8th
1998 13th
1997 22nd
1996 21st
1995 19th (tie)
1994 19th
