December 31, 2008

CEDAR RAPIDS , IOWA . . . Four Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) institutions are ranked in the 2008-09 NCAA Division III Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings following the completion of the fall sports season.

Wartburg College is the top Iowa Conference school, tied with UW-Eau Claire for 18th with 175 points after placing fourth in women's cross country, advancing to the quarterfinals in football, and qualifying for the NCAA field in men's soccer.

Loras College is 23rd with 158 points after advancing to the semifinal round of the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championships for the second consecutive year. The Duhawks also advanced to the second round (round of 32) in women's soccer and were participants in the NCAA Division III volleyball field.

Luther College is in 70th place with 69 points based on its seventh place national finish in women's cross country. Simpson College is the final IIAC representative, tied for 118th with 25 points. The Storm also qualified for NCAA field in volleyball, bowing out in the first round.

Cortland State University (N.Y.) leads the rankings after compiling 353 points. Williams College (Mass.) is second with 326 points, while Messiah College (Pa.) is third with 294, Emory University (Ga.) fourth with 278 and Calvin College (Mich.) fifth with 265. Williams has won 10 consecutive Directors’ Cup crowns.

The standings recognize the best NCAA Division III overall athletics programs in the country and are based upon the completion of women and men's cross country, women’s field hockey, football, women and men's soccer and women's volleyball.

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.

The first winter Division III standings will be released Thursday, March 19, 2009.

Click here for the complete standings.

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