LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Thanks to a strong campaign by its fall sports teams, Biola University is ranked third out of 290 NAIA schools in the Learfield Sports/NACDA Directors' Cup final fall standings released on Wednesday.
The Eagles, who finished 16th in the 2008-09 standings last season, wrapped up the fall sports season with an impressive 219.33 points. Biola received their points with a second-place finish in women's cross country, a fifth-place finish in men's soccer and a 13th place finish in women's volleyball.
Simon Fraser (B.C.) is in first place overall with 260 points, while Azusa Pacific--which has won the last five Directors' Cups--is second with 231 points.
The Eagles have had one of its most successful fall sports seasons in school history. The women's cross country team became the first Biola sport to finish as high as second place in the NAIA since 1997. The Eagles, who entered the race ranked No. 4 in the final ratings, finished just three points out of first place. Biola should have another strong season next year, returning all seven of its runners from the championship race.
The men's soccer team was the biggest surprise of the year so far, challenging for the conference title and reaching the NAIA Quarterfinals. It was the first NAIA Tournament appearance for the Eagles since 1987 and the furthest the team had ever gone in the tournament. BIola wrapped up the year with a 13-5-4 record overall.
The Biola volleyball squad also had a successful run, reaching the NAIA Tournament for the third-straight season. The Eagles finished the year ranked No. 10 in the final ratings. Biola wrapped up the season with a record of 23-11.
Biola's 2008-09 Directors' Cup finish was its best finish since the award began in 1995-96, and the fourth Top-20 finish overall. The Eagles were 14th after the fall season, jumping up to seventh after a strong winter performance and finished 16th with 519.25 points.
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 14 sports--seven women's and seven men's.
Click here for the complete final fall NAIA Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Standings (as of 12/23/09).
The first winter NAIA standings will be released on Thursday, March 11, 2010.
Please note, standings published midseason are unofficial. Official standings will be published upon the completion of the spring season.
Complete standings and the scoring structure can be found on NACDA's Web site at www.nacda.com.
