Point Loma Nazarene University placed eighth out of more than 300 NAIA schools in the 2005-2006 National Association Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Directors’s Cup rankings. The Director’s Cup is given annually by NACDA, the United States Sports Academy and USA TODAY to the top four programs in Divisions I, II, III and the NAIA.
“The rankings in the Director’s Cup does represent achievement of success,” PLNU Athletic Director Carroll B. Land said. “We believe it is important to sponsor a broad-based athletic program that allows a range of success for all our teams and allows our teams to be competitive.”
The rankings are based on a point system which, in turn, is based on each sports program’s overall performance in an academic year. PLNU totaled 555 points with 10 of its teams contributing to its total. The softball team had the highest total for the Sea Lions with 83 by finishing in third place in the national tournament. The golf team scored 75 points and ended up fifth overall in the nation. The tennis teams also had a big year for PLNU as both the men’s and women’s teams had 53 points a piece. Many of the women’s sports also brought in points for basketball, soccer, cross country and track and field.
“We hope to someday win a national championship in one of the sports, but across the board we are very pleased to compete at that high of a level,” Land said.
Fellow Golden State Athletic Conference member Azusa Pacific repeated as United States Sports Academy Directors’ champions with 836 points. Lindenwood University in Missouri finished second with 754 points and Lindsey Wilson University in Kentucky had 614 points. Oklahoma Baptist University at 612.5 points and Simon Fraser University in British Columbia with 611 points rounded out the top schools.
PLNU’s finish is not a fluke considering three GSAC teams placed in the top 10 overall rankings and four GSAC schools in the top 23.