Kenyon ranks 43rd in final Directors’ Cup standings

GAMBIER, Ohio — The final standings for the 2022-23 LEARFIELD Sports Directors’ Cup were unveiled on Tuesday, and the Kenyon College Department of Physical Education and Athletics placed 43rd amongst 323 NCAA Division III institutions with a tally of 426 points.

The LEARFIELD Sports Directors’ Cup is a program that began in the 1993-94 academic year and honors institutions that maintain a broad-based program while achieving success in many sports, both men’s and women’s. Overall, 18 sports are counted in the final NCAA DIII standings, four of which must be men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s basketball. The next highest (14 max.) sports scored for each institution, regardless of gender, are used in the Directors’ Cup standings.

Kenyon’s final point total from the 2022-23 campaign included six appearances in NCAA Championships across four sports and all three seasons. Kenyon collected 73 points from the men’s soccer team’s run to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament when the Owls made it to the quarterfinal round in the fall. Over the winter, Kenyon’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams added 175 points to the College’s total. Both Owls programs reached the podium, with the men earning 90 points after finishing as the national runner-up and the women’s third-place finish accounting for 85 points in the standings. The spring season produced the most points (178) for the Owls, who saw three teams reach the NCAA Tournament. Kenyon’s women’s lacrosse and tennis teams accounted for 64 points apiece, while the men’s lacrosse team contributed 50. The Owls reached the Sweet 16 of the women’s lacrosse and tennis tournaments, while the men’s lacrosse program advanced to the second round after a first-round bye. 

The 43rd spot in the rankings is the College’s best since the 2016-17 season when Kenyon placed 37th with 415 points. Last year, Kenyon placed 52nd with 349 points after ranking 47th in 2018-19 with 367 points. Directors’ Cup standings were not recorded in 2019-20 or 2020-21 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.