LA MIRADA, Calif. --- For the 10th time in program history Biola University Athletics earned a spot inside of the top-20 in the NAIA Learfield Directors' Cup rankings. Biola's 10 NAIA postseason appearances helped the Eagles to an 18th-place finish in the 2016-17 ranking of NAIA athletic departments.
 
"Placing well in the Directors' Cup is an exciting achievement for Biola University," said Director of Athletics Dr. Bethany Miller. "Our coaches and student-athletes have had great success this year while keeping focused on holistic growth in their faith, academics and relationships. It's also been a year where our coaches have been asked to take on a lot more responsibility and have handled it admirably."
 
Each academic year the Learfield Directors' Cup rankings reward athletic programs from coast to coast for the breadth and depth of their various programs. Points are awarded to each institution based off of the average national finish of its top-6 men's programs and top-6 women's programs. Then, all the teams in the affiliation are ranked to determine the overall strength of each athletic department.
 
Biola's 18th-place finish is the Eagles' 10th top-20 finish and 18th top-50 finish in the Directors' Cup. Biola was the second-highest team to represent the Golden State Athletic Conference at a national level, with Westmont in 8th and The Master's College in 38th also representing in the top-50.
 
The Eagles' finished with 512 total points to finish just behind familiar foes Grand View and Concordia (Neb.). Oklahoma City won the Directors' Cup with 982 total points. The Stars won four NAIA national championships and placed in the top-10 in 11 sports.
 
Biola's point total was driven up by an extremely successful fall and winter. The Eagles were no. 6 in the standings through these two seasons with 464.50 points in tow. They led the GSAC at that point.
 
Women's Cross Country and Women's Swimming & Diving both finished third place nationally to earn 85 points each towards Biola's final total. That was the most points contributed by any one program this year.
 
"I know there are so many special experiences and memories from this year that will last a lifetime," said Miller. "Our student-athletes have shared with me how blessed they are to have such a wonderful coaching staff, athletic training staff and support staff and I could not agree more."
 
For more information on Learfield Sports and the Directors' Cup program visit http://thedirectorscup.com/

This is the final time Biola will appear in the NAIA Learfield Directors' Cup as next season the institution will fight for a spot in the NCAA Division II Learfield Director's Cup Standings. Nine of the 14 institutions currently in the PacWest Conference made the cut in 2016-17.