CLEVELAND, Ohio — Three teams from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) were ranked in the Top 40 in the final standings of the NAIA Learfield Directors' Cup, the
National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced on June 9. The Learfield Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between NACDA and USA Today.
Friends University, the University of Saint Mary, and Ottawa University all finished in the Top 40. Friends was the highest-ranking school from the conference, coming in at No. 22 in the standings. The Spires were at No. 34, and Ottawa University was at No. 40.
When compared to other NAIA conferences, the KCAC was tied for the third-most institutions in the Top 40, alongside the Crossroads League, the Mid-South Conference, and the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference. The Great Plains Athletic Conference and the Heart of America Athletic Conference led the way, with each conference having five teams ranked in the Top 40. The Cascade Collegiate Conference and The Sun Conference, each with four teams in the Top 40, were not far behind the GPAC and Heart.
Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in NAIA Championships. Overall, 13 sports are counted in the final NAIA standings, four of which must be men’s basketball, men’s soccer, women’s basketball and women’s volleyball. The next highest (9 max.) sports scored for each institution, regardless of gender, are used in the standings. For more information on the scoring structure, click
here.
Cumberlands (Ky.) finished first in the Directors' Cup Standings. Rounding out the Top Five were Indiana Wesleyan, Keiser (Fla.), Marian (Ind.), and Lindsey Wilson (Ky.).
For full standings, click
here.
For standings sorted by conference, click
here.
ABOUT LEARFIELD
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
—KCAC—