July 24, 2007
CLEVELAND, OHIO - North Carolina Central University's final season of Division II competition proved to be its most successful one, as the Eagles placed 24th in the final 2006-07 standings of the U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup, the prestigious award presented annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), the United States Sports Academy and USA Today to the best overall collegiate athletics programs in the country.
NCCU earned a total of 430.50 points during the 2006-07 campaign, its best ever finish in the Directors' Cup standings, improving upon the 294 points and 42nd place finish from 2005-06.
In 2006-07, NCCU participated in nine NCAA Division II Championship events. In the fall, the women's cross country team made history by becoming the first HBCU to win a regional championship, then placed 23rd at the national meet. The football team earned a No. 1 seed in the regional playoffs after posting a perfect regular season of 11-0 and winning its second straight conference title. The women's volleyball team made its third consecutive appearance in the NCAA regional playoffs after three-peating as League champions.
In the winter, the men's indoor track and field team claimed the school's best team finish at the indoor national championships with a third-place performance, while the women's team placed 21st. The women's basketball team won its first conference championship in 23 years before advancing to the regional semifinals for the second straight season.
In the spring, the men's outdoor track and field team placed seventh at the national championship meet, while the women's team placed 31st. The softball team earned the program's first ever at-large bid to the NCAA post-season after winning 31 games in the regular season.
Grand Valley State University won its fourth consecutive U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup in Division II with 995.75 points.
The Sports Academy Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. The United States Sports Academy, based in Daphne, Alabama, is the program sponsor. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 14 sports - seven women's and seven men's.
Complete final standings and the scoring structure can be found on NACDA's Web site at www.nacda.com.
2006-07 North Carolina Central University Results
Fall - NCCU 32nd (106 points)
Women's Cross Country (23rd, 28 points)
Football (9th, 53 points)
Women's Volleyball (33rd, 25 points)
Winter - NCCU 20th (292 points)
Women's Basketball (17th, 50 points)
Women's Track and Field (21st, 51 points)
Men's Track and Field (3rd, 85 points)
Spring - NCCU 24th (430.50 points)
Softball (49th, 25 points)
Women's Track and Field (31st, 41.5 points)
Men's Track and Field (7th, 72 points)
