UT finishes 7th in Director’s Cup

Crunch the numbers, tally up the postseason success and it all added up to a record year for University of Tennessee athletics.

The Vols and Lady Vols combined to finish a best-ever seventh nationally in the U.S. Sports Academy Director’s Cup.

“The best is yet to come,” UT men’s athletic director Mike Hamilton said in a UT release Thursday.

Tennessee reached post-season play in 19 of 20 varsity sports with baseball being the lone exception.

The Lady Vols’ seventh national championship in women's basketball and strong showings in softball and men’s track and field vaulted Tennessee to a top 10 finish in the points system used to gauge a program’s overall success.

“It has been a goal of ours to have both the men’s and women’s athletics programs ranked in the top 10 nationally,” women’s athletic director Joan Cronan said. “This year’s final ranking is a tribute to the athletes, coaches and administration who have collectively worked so hard to take their programs to this level.”

An eighth-place finish in 2004-2005 was Tennessee’s previous best showing.

Stanford won the crown by compiling 1,429 points thanks to a national championship in men’s golf, women’s cross country and top 10 finishes in 15 other sports.

UCLA was second (1,257), North Carolina third (1,161.33), Michigan fourth (1,135.25), Southern California fifth (1,103.50) and Florida sixth (1,064.25).

Tennessee came in with 1,045.75 points. Texas, California and Arizona State rounded out the top 10.

“We are committed to providing our student athletes and coaches with championship opportunities and our fans with championship performances,” Hamilton said in the release. “This year’s finish is a credit to the dedication of our student athletes, coaches, administration and fans.”

Besides women’s basketball, the Lady Vols’ softball team racked up 90 points for its recent NCAA second-place finish.

The Vols and Lady Vols also had top 20 finishes in men’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, rowing, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s outdoor track and field, and men’s and women’s golf.

Other SEC schools in the top 25 were Georgia (12th), LSU (17th) and Auburn (19th).