CLEVELAND -- Barry University finished 13th in the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup after putting together the most productive spring sports performance of any NCAA Division II school in the country.
The Buccaneers finished with 523 points in the 2012-13 all-sports competition for Division II athletic programs. Grand Canyon won the title for the second straight year with 954.75 points, Grand Valley State was second with 939.25 and Ashland third with 912.50.
The 13th-place finish is the highest since Barry was 11th in 2001-02, and the third highest in the history of the program. Barry finished third in 1997-98.
“We’re very proud of our finish in the Learfield Sports Director’s Cup,” Barry Director of Athletics Michael Covone said. “It starts with our student-athletes and coaches, and their dedication and commitment to excellence. We take a great deal of pride in the accomplishments of all of our teams, and the Director’s Cup reflects the broad-based success that Barry University has had over the years."
The Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 14 sports -- seven women’s and seven men’s.
The Buccaneers racked up 498 points in the spring, which superseded Grand Canyon's 423.25 and Grand Valley's 405.75. Barry won two national championships, men's tennis and men's golf, which were good for 100 points each. The Bucs rowing crew's NCAA national runner-up finish produced 90 points, while women's golf's third-place finish at the NCAA Championships accumulated 85. Women's tennis' fifth-place finish at the national championships netted 73, while softball's 17th place showing in the NCAA Tournament totaled 50.
Barry's women's soccer team's appearance in the NCAA Tournament produced 25 points in the fall.
"This was a special year for Barry athletics," Covone said, "and one that we will always remember."