Empire 8 Places Six Institutions in Winter 2012-13 Director's Cup Standings
The Empire 8 enjoyed a successful winter season, evidenced by the league's showing in the winter 2012-13 Division III Learfield Sports Director's Cup Standings of the season.
The standings, which measure schools' overall achievement in postseason play by awarding points based on each team's finish, were released April 11, 2013 by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
Six Empire 8 schools appear in the top 160 with three in the top 100, two in the top 50 and one in the top 15.
Leading the way for the Empire 8 is Ithaca College, which earned the No. 15 ranking with at total score of 425.00. The Bombers scored points in six NCAA Championships conducted during the winter. The men's and women's basketball teams each advanced to the Elite 8 and the wrestling team placed fifth. Ithaca also earned points in men's and women's swimming and diving and women's indoor track and field.
The second Empire 8 school in the standings was Stevens Institute of Technology at No. 30. The Ducks have amassed 289.50 points through the winter due to their postseason success in men's and women's swimming and NCAA appearances by men's basketball, women's indoor track and field and wrestling.
Utica College ranks 80th in Division III thanks to a third place performance in men's ice hockey and Elmira College used a national championship in women's ice hockey to join the rankings at No. 113.
Nazareth College earned points in women's swimming and diving and Hartwick College is the final Empire 8 team in the rankings at No. 158 with 70.50 points earned by the men's and women's swimming and diving programs.
The final 2012-13 Director's Cup Standings are scheduled to come out in June following the conclusion of the academic year and spring athletic season. The Director's Cup was developed as joint effort between NACDA and USA Today.
NACDA's Director's Cup home page