7/19 - NACDA DIRECTORS' CUP: George Fox Ranks in Top Quarter of D-III Schools for Overall Program

NEWBERG, Ore. - On the wings of a national baseball title and a 22nd-place finish in the men's national track and field championships, George Fox University ranked 101st out of 420 NCAA Division III schools for the best overall intercollegiate athletics program for 2003-04 in the United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup competition as awarded by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

The Bruins captured the national baseball championship with a 6-3 win over Eastern Connecticut State University in the D-III World Series final on June 1 in Appleton, Wisc., completing a 40-10 campaign and earning a final No. 1 national ranking. That earned George Fox 100 of its 151.5 points in the Directors' Cup standings.

The men's track and field team garned 51.5 points by virtue of tying for 22nd in the national competition May 27-29 in Decatur, Ill. The Bruins had one national champion as Matt Gassaway won the javelin with a school-record throw of 215-10.

Points in the Directors' Cup competition are based upon how teams finish in national championship events. The 101st-place finish is the highest for George Fox since becoming full members of the NCAA five years ago. The Directors' Cup is a joint effort between the USSA, NACDA, and the USA TODAY national newspaper.

Williams College of Massachusetts won its 8th D-III title in the last nine years with 1,081.75 points, placing 12 teams in the top 10 nationally. Other winners included Stanford University at the D-I level, Grand Valley State University (Mich.) in D-II, and Simon Fraser University (B.C.) in the NAIA.