UCSD is tied for No. 14 nationally in the most current Division II Sears Directors’ Cup standings following a strong fall season, but a rule change that takes effect for the first time this year cost the Tritons points that would have vaulted them into fourth place.
Guardian
The Directors’ Cup is overseen by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, and it is awarded to the strongest all-around athletic program at the Division I, Division II, Division III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics levels. Points are accumulated by schools when their respective teams reach the national playoffs, with 100 points awarded to the national champion and a subsequently decreasing amount given to each runner-up. Official standings are released at the end of the fall, winter and spring seasons.
This year, what was arguably UCSD’s strongest performance from the fall season will go unrewarded in the Directors’ Cup standings. The Triton men’s water polo team finished fourth nationally while competing against primarily Division I teams, but a NACDA rule change will prevent UCSD from receiving the 83 points they would have earned. The new rule states that points will not be awarded in sports where there are less than 12 teams in the championship field. This affects a wide range of sports, most notably men’s and women’s water polo, which each have a championship field of four and are sports in which UCSD has traditionally excelled.
UCSD usually scores the majority of its points for the year in the fall season. This year, however, the Tritons only picked up points in women’s cross country, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball, and those point totals were somewhat lower than what Triton fans have come to expect.
By virtue of winning three consecutive national championships from 2000-02, the Triton women’s soccer teams have earned 100 points for each of those efforts and raised the bar on the expectations for this season. While compiling a 15-3-1 record, a young Triton squad showed resolve and fought off numerous injuries, but their luck ran out against UC Davis in the regional final when the Tritons fell on penalty kicks, earning only 53 Directors’ Cup points for their efforts.
Likewise, the UCSD women’s volleyball team was forced to face heightened expectations after an improbable run to the final four in 2001. The Tritons played well all season and finished second in a hotly contested California Collegiate Athletic Association race between UCSD and Cal State San Bernardino. The Tritons were unable to overcome their foe, and in their third meeting with UCSD in the regional semi-final match, CSUSB found another favorable result and eliminated the Tritons, but not before UCSD secured another 50 Directors’ Cup points.
The UCSD women’s cross country team improved on 2001’s fourth-place finish in the CCAA by moving up to third and qualifying for the national championships. Led by All-American Audrey Sung, the Tritons put together a 17th-place finish in their first-ever appearance at the national championships in Division II, which was good for another 39 points.
With the hypothetical points from men’s water polo factored in, UCSD would move into fourth place behind Grand Valley State and UC Davis — perennial Directors’ Cup contenders — and North Florida.
With the below-average point total from the typically outstanding fall season, the Tritons will have quite a task if they wish to come close to last year’s third-place finish.
