Northwest finishes 13th in LEARFIELD Director’s Cup standings, best mark in school history

Northwest Missouri State University’s Bearcat athletic programs achieved their highest-ever finish in the LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup Standings. With a total of 569.50 points, the Bearcats ranked No. 13 in the country, making them the top school in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA). This also marks the highest point total ever accumulated by Northwest in the program’s history.

In previous years, Northwest’s best finishes in the Directors’ Cup Standings were two 19th-place finishes in 1997 and 2006. Their previous high-point total was 405.0 points in 2007.

The success of the Bearcats was driven by the performance of 11 teams that reached NCAA postseason play, contributing to their score in the Directors’ Cup Standings. Women’s sports accumulated 279.75 points, while the men’s teams added 289.75 points.

The LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup was developed through a collaboration between the National Association of Collegiate Director of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points in the standings are awarded based on an institution’s finish in the NCAA Championships.

Northwest’s achievement was the result of strong performances in fall, winter, and spring events across various sports. The football team earned 53 points, women’s cross country and women’s soccer each contributed 50 points, and women’s volleyball added 25 points in the fall. In the winter, men’s indoor track & field earned 71.25 points, women’s indoor track & field contributed 66.75 points, and men’s basketball added 50 points. In the spring, men’s tennis earned 64 points, women’s outdoor track & field contributed 63 points, men’s outdoor track & field added 51.5 points, and women’s tennis earned 50 points.

The final standings count 15 sports, including four mandatory sports (women’s volleyball and basketball and men’s basketball and baseball). The next highest-scoring sports (up to a maximum of 11) for each institution, regardless of gender, are used in the standings.

Here is the ranking of MIAA teams in the 2022-23 Directors’ Cup Standings:

1. Northwest Missouri State – 569.5 pts.
2. Pittsburg State – 555.75 pts.
3. Missouri Southern – 495.5 pts.
4. Central Missouri – 477.0 pts.
5. Central Oklahoma – 427.0 pts.
6. Nebraska-Kearney – 403.0 pts.
7. Washburn – 352.5 pts.
8. Fort Hays State – 234.5 pts.
9. Lincoln – 212.75 pts.
10. Emporia State – 172.5 pts.
11. Missouri Western – 107.5 pts.
12. Rogers State – 101.0 pts.
13. Northeastern State – 77.5 pts.