SU Sets NACDA Cup Scoring Record
6/3/2010 3:12:46 PM | Women's Lacrosse, General
The Syracuse athletics program has compiled a school-record 343.5 points in the National Association of Collegiate Director's of Athletics (NACDA) Learfield Sports Director's Cup standings, which ranks 52nd nationally. Syracuse's best finish in the Director's Cup was 51st in 1998-99. The Orange lacrosse programs are the most recent to score points with the post-season accomplishments. The Orange women advanced to the Final Four for the second time in three years, while the Orange men earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the 30th time in school history.
“We have been trying to grow the program for the past five years, so this is really exciting for us,” said director of athletics Dr. Daryl Gross. “The concepts have come to realization. We had to make some leadership changes and we went after the best coaches in the world and they are bringing in student-athletes to get results.”
To date, seven Syracuse teams have scored points in the Director's Cup competition. The softball team's NACDA point total will be announced on June 23. Head coach Leigh Ross and the Orange scored the first Director's Cup points in program history by earning its first NCAA Tournament berth last month. In addition, three men's and women's track and field student-athletes are preparing for next week's NCAA Championship and have the potential to add to SU's Director's Cup scoring total. SU's men's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey and women's track and field teams each scored points this year.
“It has been a fast five years. I'm elated with where we are as far as the overall, cumulative success of the athletics department. We're still challenged in football, which should be further along than it is right now. With (head coach) Doug (Marrone) here, I think we can get back on pace. What we're trying to do is fly down the straight-aways and slow down going around the curves, but we've stayed in motion. I think we have done a good job adapting to all of the changes in the world, whether it be media platforms or branding in New York City, which is important to us, and recognizing those things.
"Setting up the future, I think we have a tremendous future. We are on track to do some great things and become a power. I think we are quietly sneaking up on the rest of the country. We probably have had, in five years, the biggest jump in NACDA points of any school in the country. We are proud of that. Once we get football and a couple of other sports where we have some challenges going, I think we are going to be firing on all cylinders. One day we plan on being a top 25 athletics program year in and year out. That is starting to come in sight for us.”
The women's lacrosse team, under the direction of third-year coach Gary Gait, scored 83 points for its run to the Final Four, while the BIG EAST Champion Orange men, led by head coach John Desko, added 25 points to SU's total with its NCAA Tournament invitation.
The softball team won the program's first BIG EAST Championship to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Orange made history as the league's lowest seed to win the conference title.
Men's basketball coach Jim Boeheim led the BIG EAST Champion Orange to the 'Sweet 16' round of the 2010 NCAA Tournament and scored 64 points, while head coach Chris Fox and the Orange women's indoor track & field squad scored 25.5 points, marking the first time in 10 years the program has contributed to SU's scoring total. The Orange women finished 46th at the 2010 NCAA Championship. Senior Uhunoma Osazuwa finished sixth in the pentathlon, becoming Syracuse's first All-American pentathlete.
The women's cross country team, under the direction of Fox, competed at the NCAA Championship for the second time in school history. The Orange garnered its highest ranking in program history when it reached the 10th spot in 2009 and finished the season ranked No. 12th. The men's squad finished the season ranked ninth nationally, which is the highest ranking in school history. Both squads won the NCAA Northeast Region Championship.
Head coach Ange Bradley directed the eighth-ranked field hockey squad to its second consecutive NCAA Tournament. The 2009 BIG EAST Champions advanced to the second round of the national tournament.
