CLEVELAND, Ohio – Carson-Newman's athletic department concluded the academic year with its highest ever finish in the Learfield Director's Cup standings. C-N wrapped up 2015-16 in 42nd place with 356.50 points.
The standings, released by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), award points based on the finish of 14 men's and women's sports. Grand Valley State finished first, followed by Saint Leo and UC San Diego.
C-N had the fourth highest total in the Southeast Region behind Queens (9th), Wingate (28th) and Armstrong State (35th).
Carson-Newman got 27 points from its men's golf team and 56.5 points from its men's track team after the latter's school-record setting finish at the NCAA Track and Field Championships in May.
The Eagles received 187 points in the fall standings and added 86 points in the winter with a 16th place finish by the women's swimming team and a 46th place finish by the indoor men's track team.
The swim program generated 58.5 points, and track 27.5.
In the fall, Carson-Newman was the only athletic department in the country that saw its football, men's soccer, women's soccer and volleyball teams all make NCAA postseason play.
Carson-Newman got 73 points from the volleyball program which made its way to the Elite Eight before becoming the second South Atlantic Conference program to grab a set in an Elite Eight match before falling to Wayne State (Neb.) 3-1.
The women's soccer program received 64 points for it Sweet 16 appearance. The Eagles were named the one seed in the Southeast Region and blasted Armstrong State 3-0 at McCown Field before falling to eventual national runner up Columbus State a week later.
The football and men's soccer programs each received 25 points for making the NCAA playoffs. Men's soccer lost to Limestone in the opening round while football dropped a 61-59 heartbreaker to Valdosta State at the final horn.
Carson-Newman was in 10th place in the fall, which represented the program's second highest positioning in the standings which date back to the 2008-09 season. In 2009-10, Carson-Newman finished the fall third after a semifinal appearances by the football team and an Elite Eight appearance by the women's soccer program. Men's soccer and volleyball each made the second round that year.
Carson-Newman's 42nd place finish resets the school's previous high-water mark set in in the 2009-2010 academic year. Carson-Newman finished 45th that year with 353.50 points.