UNC Teams Finish Fifth in Directors’ Cup

Posted on June 26, 2015

Carolina had the fifth-best collegiate athletics program in the country in 2014-15 by the standards of the Learfield Directors’ Cup. It is the Tar Heels’ highest finish since 2009 and their 18th top-10 finish in the award’s 22-year history.

Stanford continues ownership of the cup, winning the competition for the 21st straight year since UNC won in its inaugural year.

The Directors’ Cup measures NCAA postseason competitive success by awarding points in 10 men’s and 10 women’s programs per school.

The Tar Heels compiled 1,152 points. Stanford had 1,448 points. The rest of the top four are UCLA, Southern California and Florida. Virginia was sixth, followed by Ohio State, Penn State, Texas and Notre Dame.

This marks the 16th time in 22 years that Carolina has posted the highest finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The ACC tied the Pac 12 for the most schools in the top 10 (three) and equaled the Pac 12 and SEC for the most schools in the top 20 (five).

It is UNC’s 10th finish in the top five and 18th in the top 10. The other ACC schools have a combined seven top-five finishes and 17 top-10 finishes (as members of the ACC).

“A top-five finish is outstanding and, when you combine that with one of our highest cumulative grade-point averages by student-athletes in our school’s history, outstanding Academic Progress Rates and more than 3,000 hours of community service performed by Carolina student-athletes, you can see why Tar Heels have a lot to be proud of,” said Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham. “We had 25 teams compete in NCAA postseason play, and they performed at a high level throughout the year.”

UNC women’s lacrosse was runner-up in the NCAA tournament. Field hockey placed third. Men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis and volleyball all finished fifth. Men’s and women’s basketball and women’s soccer were ninth.

Here’s how the rest of the ACC finished:

Florida State — 11;
Duke — 20;
N.C. State — 27;
Louisville — 29;
Virginia Tech — 35;
Syracuse — 47;
Miami — 55;
Clemson — 57;
Boston College — 68;
Georgia Tech — 72;
Wake Forest — 90; and
Pitt — 96.

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