April 26, 2001
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - With the winter sports season now concluded, the Sears Directors' Cup standings have been updated.
Purdue, on the strength of a national runner-up finish in women's basketball, ranks 34th with 318.5 points.
The Big Ten Conference has 10 schools in the top 50 (the most of any conference), led by Michigan in second place with 675.5 points. Wisconsin is third (641.5), Ohio State fourth (609), Penn State sixth (608), Minnesota 14th (451), Indiana 19th (407.5), Michigan State 25th (360.5), Illinois 33rd (326.5) and Iowa 49th (250.5). Northwestern rounds out the Big Ten in 91st place with 121.5 points.
Defending champion Stanford tops the chart again with 849.5 points.
The Sears Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 20 sports, 10 for men and 10 for women. Each national champion receives 100 points.
The final official standings will be announced on June 16.
Purdue's best-ever finish is a tie for 36th place in 1998-99. In 1999-2000, the Boilermakers finished 40th. Just five years ago, they ranked 81st.