CLEVELAND – Carson-Newman's athletic department sits in 18th place in the updated Leafield Director's Cup standings, good for Carson-Newman's highest ever finish following the release of the winter standings with 273 points.
The Learfield Sports Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today.
The Eagles previous high water mark for the winter standings was a 22nd place finish during the 2009-10 winter release.
Grand Valley State leads the poll with 682 points, Colorado School of Mines is second with 416.
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.
