CLEVELAND - The University of Denver Division of Athletics and Recreation finished 47th in the Division I Directors' Cup standings that were finalized Saturday following the 2018 NCAA Baseball Championship this week. Earlier this month, Denver clinched its 10th I-AAA Directors' Cup in the last 11 years for finishing ahead of all non-football schools in the 2017-18 overall Division I standings.
Denver ended second among non-FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) schools (Princeton) with 529.25 points and ranked ahead of 21 of the 65 Power 5 conference schools.
"Once again, our student-athletes and coaches performed at a tremendously high level," Vice Chancellor for Athletics, Recreation and Ritchie Center Operations Karlton Creech said. "It is something we are growing used to here at the University of Denver and is reflective of the goal we have to be comprehensively excellent, not just great in one sport or two, but great across the board."
The Pioneer ski team claimed its 24th National Championship, and Denver's 33rd overall to lead the charge in 2017-18. Denver is one of five athletic departments in the country to win at least one National Championship in each of the last five years, joining Stanford, Penn State, Oklahoma and Florida on that list (Skiing: 2014, 2016, 2018 | Hockey: 2017 | Men's Lacrosse: 2015).
Denver finished the fall 114th in the overall standings and in a tie for 11th in the I-AAA standings, earning a combined 50 points from women's soccer's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013 and volleyball's fourth-consecutive bid to the national tournament after both programs' 2017 Summit League Tournament titles.
The Crimson and Gold jumped 74 spots in the winter to 40th and took control of the I-AAA standings, ballooning out to a 194 point lead in that category. Denver combined for 314.25 points across five sports during the winter season. DU's ski program led the way in the winter with its perfect 100 points for a 24th national title. The Pioneers' hockey program earned 60 points as national quarterfinalists in head coach Jim Montgomery's final season behind the DU bench. Denver gymnastics earned 59.25 points thanks to a third-place finish at the NCAA Regionals and Lynnzee Brown's Nationals appearance, giving Denver at least one participant at the NCAA Championships in each of the last 19 years. The Crimson and Gold's swimming programs combined for the remaining 95 points. DU's women took 31st (43 points) behind two All-American individual medley performances from Bailey Andison, while the men finished 22nd (52) at the 2018 NCAA Championships, the program's best finish since 1961-62 (16th) and the program's fifth best output in its history.
"We are attracting great talent, both on the field and in the classroom," Creech said. "People want to come here and be a part of this overall success that we have had at the University of Denver. So much credit for that goes to [former VC] Peg Bradley-Doppes and what she was able to accomplish here over the last 13 years. The coaches have bought into that ideal, and student-athletes are attracted to that."
DU scored in four spring sports, highlighted by men's lacrosse's seventh NCAA Quarterfinal appearance (60 points) in the last eight years and women's lacrosse's (53 points) third appearance in the NCAA Second Round in three tries. The Pioneer women's golf program finished 12th at NCAA Regionals to earn 27 points and women's tennis posted 25 points after its eighth NCAA Tournament appearance in its Division I history.
The Learfield Sports Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 19 sports. Denver only counts 16 sports towards the standings every year.
I-AAA Directors' Cup Champions
2018 - Denver (47 - 529.25)
2017 - Denver (35 - 634.25)
2016 - Denver (52 - 433.00)
2015 - Denver (49 - 508.75)
2014 - Denver (43 - 519.25)
2013 - Denver (55 - 425.50)
2012 - Pepperdine (Denver - 85 - 227.50)
2011 - Denver (54 - 384.50)
2010 - Denver (65 - 306.80)
2009 - Denver (54 - 396.50)
2008 - Denver (47 - 434.25)
2007 - 74 - 267.25
2006 - Not in top-100
2005 - 68 - 250.50
2004 - 59 - 333.75
2003 - 75 - 214.75
2002 - 75 - 241.00
2001 - 87 - 180.00
2000 - Not in top-100
1999 - 74 - 110.00
Student-Athlete Alumni Giving Challenge:
In 2017-18, the University of Denver is holding an alumni giving challenge in an effort to increase student-athlete alumni participation in the Denver Athletics Annual Fund. The sport program with the highest percentage of alumni participation will receive an additional $10,000 of support through the generosity of an anonymous donor. Former student-athletes can make a gift online, by calling 303-871-2388 during normal business hours or by sending a check to:
Athletics Development Office
Attn: Kaley Rickert
2201 E. Asbury Avenue
Denver, CO 80208
- JOIN THE DENVER PIONEER NATION -
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 17 of DU's NCAA Division I sports.
Like Denver Pioneers on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers on Twitter
