COLLEGE STATION, Texas—The Texas A&M athletics program posted its third consecutive Top 10 finish in the Division I Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings by finishing in ninth place in the final rankings for 2011-12.
“I want to thank our student-athletes, coaches and our entire staff for continuing to put forth the effort and determination needed for our program to finish among the country’s top 10,” Interim Texas A&M Director of Athletics Dr. John Thornton said. “Three consecutive years in the top 10 is impressive. Much of that success can be attributed to the support of the 12th Man. Our fans make a huge impact at so many of our home games, and they also travel well. We are poised to achieve even more and I think that speaks to the dedication and drive of everyone within our department to be the best while representing this premier institution.”
“Texas A&M, the Home of the 12th Man, is a very special place with so many of our academic programs ranked among the best in the country,” Thornton stated. “I am pleased that athletics can be mention among the best in the NCAA.”
Texas A&M closed out its affiliation with the Big 12 Conference with six additional Big 12 Championship trophies in 2011-12 to bring its overall trophy total to 61 Big 12 titles after not winning a single championship in the inaugural year of the league in 1996-97.
The final Directors’ Cup standings included results from baseball where the Aggies reached the NCAA Regionals and gained 25 points.
Leading the way in the spring sports for Texas A&M were two third-place finishes by the men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams who are coached by Pat Henry. The two teams scored 85 points each for a combined 170 points of the 464.25 spring total.
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 competition takes into consideration the top 10 female sports and the top 10 male sports at each institution. In Texas A&M’s case, the school sponsors 20 intercollegiate sports, 11 female and nine male. Women’s equestrian won the overall equestrian national championship as well as the western discipline national championship, but equestrian is not an NCAA-sponsored sport at this time. Equestrian will conduct a Southeastern Conference championship in 2012-13.
Of the remaining 19 sports, A&M finished in the Top 10 in six of the sports and 15 Aggie teams finished in the Top 25 in scoring.
FINAL 2011-12 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup Standings
(As of June 27, 2012)
TOP 25 Big 12 Order
1. Stanford 1448.25 6. Texas 1032.50
2. Florida 1314.00 9. TEXAS A&M 990.25
3. UCLA 1142.75 14. Oklahoma 945.00
4. Ohio State 1104.25 25. Baylor 726.00
5. Florida State 1061.50 42. Oklahoma St. 512.00
6. Texas 1032.50 46. Iowa St. 498.50
7. USC 1006.75 49. Missouri 458.50
8. North Carolina 1005.50 56. Kansas 396.00
9. TEXAS A&M 990.25 62. Kansas St. 340.50
10. Michigan 986.50 71. Texas Tech 269.00
11. California 979.00
12. Penn State 975.50 SEC Order (A&M & MU added)
13. LSU 967.75 2. Florida 1314.00
14. Oklahoma 945.00 9. TEXAS A&M 990.25
15. Virginia 910.00 13. LSU 967.75
16. Duke 894.50 18. Georgia 833.25
17. Notre Dame 843.50 20. Arkansas 811.00
18. Georgia 833.25 23. Alabama 750.50
19. Arizona 827.75 28. Auburn 648.00
20. Arkansas 811.00 29. Kentucky 643.00
21. Illinois 782.25 33. Tennessee 606.00
22. Minnesota 757.75 36. So. Carolina 577.50
23. Alabama 750.50 49. Missouri 458.50
24. Oregon 747.25 51. Vanderbilt 443.00
25. Baylor 726.00 77. Ole Miss 252.00
80. Miss. State 237.50
TEXAS A&M IN THE FINAL DIRECTORS’ CUP STANDINGS:
2011-12 9th 990.25
2010-11 8th 1090.50
2009-10 6th 1070.75
2008-09 13th 976.00
2007-08 12th 1031.00
2006-07 18th 881.00
2005-06 23rd 649.50
2004-05 26th 566.25
2003-04 16th 714.00
2002-03 28th 551.25
2001-02 37th 519.50
2000-01 26th 517.00
1999-00 27th 522.00
1998-99 T39th 230.00
1997-98 T38th 230.00
1996-97 30th 427.00
1995-96 20th 524.50
1994-95 37th 329.50
1993-94 24th 454.50
2011-12 TEXAS A&M SPORT BREAKDOWN
Sport Place Points
SPRING
Women’s Track & Field 3rd 85
Men’s Track & Field 3rd 85
Men’s Golf 14th 61.5
Women’s Golf 16th 57.75
Softball 17th 50
Men’s Tennis 17th 50
Women’s Tennis 17th 50
Baseball 33rd 25
WINTER
Women’s Indoor Track & Field 5th 73.5
Women’s Swimming & Diving 6th 73.5
Men’s Indoor Track & Field 8th 69
Women’s Basketball 9th 64
Men’s Swimming & Diving 13th 63
Men’s Basketball NR 0
FALL
Women’s Soccer 17th 50
Women’s Volleyball 17th 50
Men’s Cross Country 18th 38
Football 26th 45
Women’s Cross Country NR 0
