CLEVELAND, Ohio (December 27, 2021) – The Stevens Institute of Technology Department of Athletics finished 35th nationally in the final Learfield Directors' Cup Division III fall standings it was announced on Dec. 23.
The Ducks compiled 150 points to slot between The College of New Jersey (154.50) and Wesleyan University (147). The Ducks' finish was the second-highest among the 18 Middle Atlantic Conference institutions, trailing just Messiah University, who finished 19th with 208.50 points. Stevens finished third among the six New Jersey schools that received points based upon each institution's finish in NCAA Championships. In total, 177 schools (out of well over 400 Division III institutions) were ranked after the completion of the seven fall championships (Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer and Women's Volleyball. Although the men's water polo championship is held in the fall, it is sponsored by USA Water Polo and not the NCAA, and Directors' Cup points are not accumulated.
Stevens earned 50 points in both men's and women's soccer, after the Ducks advanced to the second round of each sport's respective championship. Stevens also earned 25 points in both field hockey and women's volleyball after each squad captured a MAC Freedom title to advance to the NCAA Tournament. All totaled, the Ducks went 64-27-7 in the fall, including a 23-6-2 record in league play. The Ducks, who sent four teams to the postseason to tie for ninth among the 168 institutions that sent at least one team to one of the seven fall championships, won three MAC Freedom championships, with women's soccer earning the program's first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament to round out the placements.
The Learfield College Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Through the course of the year, Directors' Cup points are awarded based on a school's finish in up to 18 sports – nine men and nine women – in NCAA Championships. Four years ago, the scoring structure was amended for Division III, with men's and women's soccer and men's and women's basketball now being included by every school in their scoring total. Previously, the top nine men's and women's scoring teams could be counted; now, regardless of whether a school's soccer and basketball teams qualify for the NCAAs, they must be counted. Directors' Cup points accumulated can vary by sport even if teams advance to the same round.
After winning the women's cross country championship and sending an NCAA-leading seven teams to their respective sport's national championship, Johns Hopkins University sat atop the fall standings for the fourth consecutive year, with a total of 471 points, finishing 11 points shy of a Directors' Cup record. Winners of the field hockey championship, Middlebury College finished second with 397.50, with Tufts (330.50), Chicago (320.50) and Calvin (308). Interestingly enough, each of the schools that placed between second and sixth, did not claim a national championship.
The Learfield Division III Directors' Cup was not awarded following the 2020-21 academic year and final standings for 2019-20 were not tabulated after the cancellation of the winter and spring championships. Stevens ranked 36th in the final 2019 fall standings.
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