Learfield Directors' Cup Standings

Cleveland, Ohio----The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) released the first official standings for the 2024-25 NCAA Division II Directors' Cup Tuesday afternoon. The Wingate University Bulldogs check in at number two in the D2 rankings, trailing only Grand Valley State through the fall. Wingate has 283.5 points on the year, with five teams earning points in the fall. The Bulldogs are one of only two schools to collect three top-eight national finishes in the fall of 2024.

The Learfield Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between NACDA and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in NCAA Championships. Grand Valley State leads the way with 331 points, followed by Wingate and CSU Pueblo (282.5 points). Cal Poly Pomona (267.0) and Colorado School of Mines (248.0) round out the top five in Division II.

Wingate is no stranger to ranking among the top Division II programs in the nation. The Bulldogs finished fourth in last year's Learfield Directors' Cup and fifth in 2022. Wingate's other two top-10 finishes came in 2015 (sixth) and 2018 (eighth). The Bulldogs have finished in the top 30 nationally in each of the last nine years of the awards. Wingate has been in second place through the fall before. The 'Dogs were in second through the fall and winter seasons in 2022-23 on the way to the first top-five finish in school history.

Wingate's big fall was highlighted by another incredible year from Wingate cross country. The men rolled to a fourth straight SAC title and fourth consecutive regional championship, ending the year as the national runner-up. The Bulldogs have finished in the top two in each of the last three years, winning the program's first national championship in 2023, sandwiched between runner-up showings in 2022 and 2024.

The Bulldog volleyball team continued to dominate, capturing the 18th regular season SAC title in the last 19 years along with a 14th SAC Tournament championship in that time frame. Wingate hosted NCAA regionals for the 11th time in 16 years, while capturing the seventh regional championship since 2010.

The women's cross country has also been piling up the trophies, winning their fourth straight SAC title and third consecutive region championship. The Bulldogs finished eighth at the NCAA championships, good for their third top-10 showing in the last four years, which was highlighted by a fifth-place finish in 2021.

The Wingate football team had another big year, capturing the SAC Piedmont Division title while also winning the SAC championship. The Bulldogs earned the sixth NCAA play-off bid in program history and fifth in the last seven years. Wingate hosted a play-off game for the fourth time in program history, tying the program-high with a number two seed in Super Region 2.

The Wingate women's soccer team also hauled in Learfield points for the Bulldogs this season. Wingate went 12-4-3 overall and 9-1-1 in the SAC, capturing the first regular season SAC title in program history. The Bulldogs earned their ninth NCAA Tournament bid, all of which have come since 2011. It was the third straight NCAA Tourney appearance for the 'Dogs, and fourth in the last five seasons.

The national runner-up finish for men's cross country picked up 90 Learfield points, with volleyball's national quarterfinal showing adding 73 points. The eighth-place women's cross country showing hauled in 70.5 points. Football and women's soccer rounded things out by collecting 25 points apiece.

Complete standings and the scoring structure can be found on NACDA's website. In addition, you can follow on X at @ldirectorscup.

ABOUT LEARFIELD

Learfield is a media, data, and technology services leader in intercollegiate athletics. The company unlocks the value of college sports for brands and fans through an omnichannel platform with innovative content and commerce solutions. LEARFIELD services include licensing and collegiate sports properties' multimedia sponsorship management; publishing, audio, digital and social media; data analytics and insights; ticketing software; and ticket sales, premium seating, and fundraising services; branding; campus-wide business and sponsorship development. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for NACDA's acclaimed LEARFIELD Directors' Cup, recognizing athletic departments across all divisions.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 26 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 16 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.