The University of Minnesota posted its 26th straight top-30 finish in the final Division I LEARFIELD Directors' Cup standings by placing 28th out of 295 schools, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced last week.
The Gophers recorded 746.75 points to finish in the top 9.4 percent of athletic departments. They totaled 243.00 points in the fall, the second highest fall point total in program history, 390.75 in the winter and 113.00 in the spring. Men's hockey earned a third-place finish as it reached the Frozen Four, while gymnastics, volleyball and women's hockey each received credit for fifth-place finishes. Women's cross country placed seventh to round out Minnesota's top-10 finishers.
Wrestling placed 11th, while men's track and field (18th), men's swimming and diving (19th), women's swimming and diving (21st) and men's cross country (21st) all secured top-25 finishes for the Golden Gophers.
Also tallying points for Minnesota were football (26th), softball (33rd) and women's track and field (49th).
Texas won the Cup this year with 1,449.50 points, while in the Big Ten, Minnesota finished fourth behind Michigan (3rd), Ohio State (4th) and Wisconsin (24th). The Golden Gophers have finished fifth or better in the conference in 16 of the last 17 iterations of the Directors' Cup..
Since 1995-96, Minnesota has finished no worse than 30th in the Directors' Cup standings, producing six top-20 finishes and 12 top-25 finishes in that span. The 2019-20 standings were canceled due to COVID-19.
The LEARFIELD Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between NACDA and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in NCAA Championships. Overall, 19 sports are counted in the final DI standings, four of which must be women's volleyball and basketball and men's basketball and baseball. The next highest (15 max.) sports scored for each institution, regardless of gender, are used in the standings.
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The Gophers recorded 746.75 points to finish in the top 9.4 percent of athletic departments. They totaled 243.00 points in the fall, the second highest fall point total in program history, 390.75 in the winter and 113.00 in the spring. Men's hockey earned a third-place finish as it reached the Frozen Four, while gymnastics, volleyball and women's hockey each received credit for fifth-place finishes. Women's cross country placed seventh to round out Minnesota's top-10 finishers.
Wrestling placed 11th, while men's track and field (18th), men's swimming and diving (19th), women's swimming and diving (21st) and men's cross country (21st) all secured top-25 finishes for the Golden Gophers.
Also tallying points for Minnesota were football (26th), softball (33rd) and women's track and field (49th).
Texas won the Cup this year with 1,449.50 points, while in the Big Ten, Minnesota finished fourth behind Michigan (3rd), Ohio State (4th) and Wisconsin (24th). The Golden Gophers have finished fifth or better in the conference in 16 of the last 17 iterations of the Directors' Cup..
Since 1995-96, Minnesota has finished no worse than 30th in the Directors' Cup standings, producing six top-20 finishes and 12 top-25 finishes in that span. The 2019-20 standings were canceled due to COVID-19.
The LEARFIELD Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between NACDA and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in NCAA Championships. Overall, 19 sports are counted in the final DI standings, four of which must be women's volleyball and basketball and men's basketball and baseball. The next highest (15 max.) sports scored for each institution, regardless of gender, are used in the standings.
