ASU Gains Ninth Place Finish In 2000-2001 Sears Directors' Cup Final Rankings

June 19, 2001

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Behind strong showings from virtually all 21 varsity sports, the Arizona State University Athletic department gained a ninth place finish in the prestigious Sears Directors' Cup final standings, earning its highest finish in the final rankings since the inception of the Sears Cup all-sport ranking in 1994.

Sun Devil Athletics had 20 of its 21 sports move on to postseason play in 2000-2001, with all 11 women's varsity sports advancing to NCAA Tournament play. In addition to its highest finish since 1994 when ASU finished 10th, Sun Devil athletics moved up from 11th in 2000, 12th in 1999 13th in 1997, 21st in 1996 and 12th in 1995. The continuing trend of improvement across the board in ASU Athletics is largely in part to the overall success of both the Men's and Women's departments.

Broken into three seasonal ranking formats, ASU moved up in the rankings each time. After the Fall sports, ASU ranked 24th with 128 points. Women's cross country netted 68 points with a sixth place showing in the NCAA Championships, largely in part to Lisa Aguilera's All-American, fifth-place finish in Ames, Iowa. Women's soccer finished 17th in the rankings (30 points) and Patti Snyder-Park's volleyball team advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row to earn 30 more points.

Moving up from 24th all the way to 15th with a strong showing in the Winter sports, ASU earned 319.5 points continue its trek towards its eventual ninth-place finish. Women's basketball had a remarkable year, finishing with a share of the Pac-10 championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 1991-92 season. Women's hoops netted 20 points, while women's gymnastics placed ninth to earn 64 points, women's swimming was 21st for 47 points, men's swimming was 14th for 55 points and wrestling placed ninth to earn 75 points.

Finishing strong with 412 combined points in the Spring sports, ASU catapulted to ninth place, moving past Notre Dame, Penn State, Nebraska, Minnesota and Oklahoma. Sun Devil baseball finished 37-20-1 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in the last five years under head coach Pat Murphy, earning 20 points. Men's and women's golf both helped ASU to a strong finish with 66 and 78 points respectfully. Softball earned 30 points, women's tennis placed fifth for 60 points and men's tennis earned 20 points. Greg Kraft continues to lead Sun Devil Track and Field back to prominence, sparking ASU to strong finishes in the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore. The men finished 15th to net 68.5 points, while the women were 14th to earn 69.5 points, clinching ASU's first top 10 spot in the Sears Directors' Cup final standings.

2001 Sears Directors' Cup
Final Standings

NCAA Division I Points