Central in top 100 again in Directors’ Cup

Central Dutch Athletics

PELLA—A pair of individual national titles propelled Central College to a 91st-place finish in the Learfield Sports Division III Directors’ Cup.

It’s the 22nd time in 23 years that the Dutch have ranked in the top 100 since the Directors’ Cup was launched in 1995-96. Central has 13 top-50 finishes. There are more than 450 Division III schools and 323 scored points by qualifying for a national championship event.

The standings are developed by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). Points are awarded on each school’s national finish in up to 18 sports. Each national champion receives 100 points.

Central, which was 100th a year ago with 201.50 points, scored 220.50 this year. Central’s Will Daniels (sophomore, Geneseo, Ill.) captured the national indoor heptathlon while Mark Fairley (senior, Dubuque) was the NCAA champ in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, helping the Dutch finish in a tie for ninth in men’s indoor track and field and share 12th place in the outdoor championships. Central also finished 34th in wrestling and cracked the top 32 in the NCAA softball championships by finishing second in regional play.

Williams College (Mass.) claimed the Directors’ Cup crown for the 21st time in 23 years, racking up 1,126.50 points, with MIT second at 1001.50 and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) third at 939.50.

Seven of the other eight Iowa Conference schools qualified for the rankings, with Wartburg 18th, Nebraska Wesleyan 35th, Loras 38th, Dubuque 87th, Coe 104th, Luther 161st and Simpson 274th.

Central’s loftiest Directors’ Cup finish was 12th in 2000-01.