Nicole Knight
Staff Writer
University of La Verne Athletics finished 49th in the United States Sports Academy Director’s Cup program for the 2003-2004 season out of more than 400 Division III schools across the country.
“The Director’s Cup recognition is attributed to a lot of hard work from everybody successfully competing for ULV,” Athletic Director Chris Ragsdale said.
The Director’s Cup program is a joint effort from USA Today and the National Association of Collegiate Directors Athletics recognizing institutions with the best overall athletics program.
The competing schools come from four categories: the National Collegiate Athletic Association Divisions I, II and III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
ULV scored 256.5 points in the Director’s Cup program resulting in its top-50 finish. The NACDA works on a point system based on the results from an institution’s finish in the NCAA or NAIA championships in each sport.
Each institution is awarded points in a pre-determined number of sports for men and women. For Division III, men and women’s teams receive nine sports each to be counted.
“The Director’s Cup program gives equal opportunities to men and women to represent their sport. It rewards institutions with a strong comprehensive athletic program working together for success,” said Barbara Camp, chair of the Director’s Cup Committee.
Ragsdale said ULV’s points were a result of “successful participation from all teams.”
The standings of the Director’s Cup are based on the size of the bracket in each championship. First place teams in bracket sports receive 100 points.
Non-bracket sports have a different point structure based on individual placing; first place teams receive 100 points. For both bracket and non-bracket sports, teams placing lower than 65th receive a minimum of five points.
Much of ULV’s success can be attributed to the 2003-2004 sports that made a national showing at the NCAA Championships, including women’s volleyball, placing third in the nation and golf, placing sixth.
“Our top 50 standing shows how ULV is one of the top athletic schools and within our small school we have high quality teams,” Sports Information Director Will Darity said.
The 2003-2004 season proved extremely successful for the Leopards, as ULV finished third overall among Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schools and fifth among schools on the West Coast with similar student bodies.
La Verne won four Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships last season, including women’s volleyball, baseball, softball, and golf.
Ragsdale has a positive outlook for the upcoming 2004-2005 season.
“We hope to sustain the level of success and continue to improve the quality of athletics for ULV students,” Ragsdale said.
“Clearly intercollegiate athletics has the ability to enhance the quality of the educational experience to its athletes,” Ragsdale said.
Nicole Knight can be reached at stareknight17@charter.net.
