Duke finishes 2006 #3
DURHAM, N.C. - Duke University finished an all-time best third place in the final fall standings for the 2006-07 U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup, a program run by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics that honors institutions maintaining a broad-based athletic program, achieving success in many sports, both men's and women's.
Duke's third place finish in the final fall standings is up one notch from the previous two years when the Blue Devils were fourth at the end of the fall. NACDA updates standings four times during the fall period and Duke's highest fall ranking ever was No. 1 on Dec. 16, 2004. Duke opened up this fall in sixth place and then jumped to second for both the second and third reporting periods during the fall.
The fall standings include men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball and men's water polo. Duke participates in seven of those eight sports and received points in five sports.
The field hockey trip to the Final Four gave Duke 83 points while a national quarterfinal appearance in men's soccer was worth 73 points. A 10th place finish in women's cross country earned 60 points while second round appearances in the NCAA Touranments in women's soccer and volleyball earned 50 points apiece.
Duke's 316 points is the second most for the Blue Devils at the end of the fall behind 327 points in 2004-05. That season, women's cross country and field hockey were both national runners-up while men's soccer made it to the College Cup and women's soccer earned a Sweet 16 appearance.
The top five is dominated by the Pacific 10 conference with California in first place, Stanford in second followed by the Blue Devils and then Washington is tied with Wisconsin for fourth. Colorado is currently sixth just ahead of a pair of ACC teams with Virginia seventh and Wake Forest eighth.
Other ACC teams include Maryland (17th), North Carolina (20th), Florida State (22nd), Clemson (24th), Boston College (33rd), Virginia Tech (43rd), N.C. State (68th), Miami (115th) and Georgia Tech (124th).
Prior to 2004-05, Duke highest fall finish was 14th in 1994-95. The Directors' Cup program started in 1993-94.
National Champions in the fall were Colorado (men's cross country), Stanford (women's cross country), Maryland (field hockey), Florida (D-I Football), Appalachian State (D-IAA Football), UCSB (men's soccer), North Carolina (women's soccer), Nebraska (women's volleyball) and California (men's water polo).
The first winter standings will be released on March 22, 2007, with the final winter standings on April 26. Final overall standings will be released on June 28, 2007, after the conclusion of the College World Series.
Winter sports include men's and women's basketball, women's bowling, fencing, men's and women's gymnastics, men's and women's ice hockey, rifle, skiing, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's indoor track & field and wrestling. Duke competes in eight of those 15 sports. The spring sports include baseball, men's and women's golf, softball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's outdoor track & field, men's and women's lacrosse and men's volleyball. Duke competes in nine of those 11 sports.
For track & field, the highest total from either the indoor or outdoor seasons is taken, not both scores. Duke has men's and women's fencing, but for the Directors' Cup is it considered one sport. Each school can count its top 20 scores.
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