HICKORY, NC - Lenoir-Rhyne finished 26th in this year's Learfield Directors Cup, marking their third best finish in school history. Scoring a total of 492.75 points, this makes it four straight years the Bears have gone over the 400 point mark.
The Bears scored 103 points in the fall, 141.25 in the winter, and 248.50 in the spring to make up the final total. Lenoir-Rhyne was the third highest SAC finisher with Wingate coming in second overall and Catawba at 23rd.
The fall saw three teams go to the NCAA postseason, with football leading the way with a second round appearance and 53 Learfield points. Women's soccer and Volleyball garnered 25 points each from thanks to their tournament qualification.
The winter saw big performances from Men's Basketball and Women's Indoor Track & Field. The Men's Basketball team won their first ever regional advanced to the NCAA DII Elite Eight, scoring 73 Learfield points. Just behind them was Women's Indoor Track & Field, where the duo of
Alexis Brown and
Melody Jones combined to finish ninth at the indoor national championships, coming home with 68.25 points.
Lenoir-Rhyne's most successful season was the spring, as they send five teams to the postseason and scored 248.5 points. Baseball's recent run to the national semifinals scored 83 points, the most by a Bear squad this season. Women's Outdoor Track & Field, fueled by two record breaking performances by
Alexis Brown, took 12th and scored 64.50 points. Always a postseason staple, Softball scored 50 points by advancing to the regional final for the third year in a row. Men's Golf advanced to their second straight NCAA Regional and put on a very solid performance that gave them 26 Learfield points. Rounding out the field was Men's Lacrosse, who's tournament appearance netted them 25 points.
Not included in the Learfield Cup standings is Women's Triathlon, who had yet another successful season by finishing second at the national championships, giving them four top-three finishes in the past four years.
Sport Point Totals
- Baseball - 83
- Men's Basketball - 73
- Women's Indoor Track & Field - 68.25
- Women's Outdoor Track & Field - 64.5
- Football - 53
- Softball - 50
- Men's Golf - 26
- Women's Soccer - 25
- Volleyball - 25
- Men's Lacrosse - 25
About LEARFIELD: LEARFIELD is a leading media and technology services company 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 multimedia sponsorship management; publishing, audio, digital and social media; data analytics; ticketing, ticket sales and professional concessions expertise; branding; campus-wide business and sponsorship development; and venue technology systems. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed LEARFIELD Directors' Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
