Florida Athletics Program Takes Second in 2013-14 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup
Monday, June 23, 2014 | General
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A dozen top-10 finishes in national championship action – including a pair of NCAA titles - led the University of Florida athletics program to its third consecutive second-place finish in the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup. The 2013-14 finish matches Florida's highest ever in the annual all-sports rankings and marks Florida's sixth consecutive top-four finish. A total of 12 Florida teams finished among the nation's top 10 in 2013-14.
Florida is the only program to finish among the nation's top 10 in each of the last 31 national all-sports standings. The Gator program also was second in 2012-13, 2011-12 and 2009-10 and tied for second in 1997-98.
| 2005-06 | |||||||
| 1996-97 | |||||||
| 2010-11 | 1994-95 | ||||||
| 2013-14 | 1998-99 | 1991-92 | |||||
| 2012-13 | 1993-94 | 1990-91 | 2007-08 | ||||
| 2011-12 | 2008-09 | 1992-93 | 1989-90 | 2006-07 | 2002-03 | ||
| 2009-10 | 2001-02 | 1986-87 | 1987-88 | 2004-05 | 2000-01 | ||
| 1997-98 | 1995-96 | 1984-85 | 1983-84 | 2003-04 | 1999-00 | 1985-86 | 1988-89 |
| 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
Florida's 12 top-10 national team finishes equals the third-highest total in school history. At least 10 Gator teams have turned in top-10 finishes in each of the last 13 seasons. The program's record of 14 top-10 finishes came in 2009-10.
Florida's Top-10 Teams:
Gymnastics and softball claimed 2014 NCAA titles. The gymnastics title was the second consecutive for the Gators, as UF tied Oklahoma for the 2014 crown. Softball swept through the Women's College World Series with a 5-0 record, outscoring opponents 32-6 in Oklahoma City to claim the program's first title.
The complete list of Florida's 2013-14 top-10 teams includes:
· Gymnastics (No. T-1)
· Softball (No. 1)
· Men's Outdoor Track & Field (No. 2)
· Men's Basketball (No. T-3)
· Men's Swimming & Diving (No. 3)
· Women's Tennis (No. T-3)
· Men's Indoor Track & Field (No. 3)
· Women's Indoor Track & Field (No. T-3)
· Women's Outdoor Track & Field (No. 4)
· Lacrosse (No. T-5)
· Women's Swimming & Diving (No. 6)
· Men's Tennis (No. T-9)
About The Learfield Sports Directors' Cup
| 2013-14 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Standings | ||
| Rank | School | Total* |
| 1. | Stanford | 1482.00 |
| 2. | FLORIDA | 1216.50 |
| 3. | Notre Dame | 1128.25 |
| 4. | Virginia | 1118.50 |
| 5. | Penn State | 1113.00 |
| 6. | Texas | 1093.00 |
| 7. | UCLA | 1078.50 |
| 8. | Southern California | 1063.75 |
| 9. | Duke | 1051.00 |
| 10. | Texas A&M | 1022.00 |
The Learfield Sports Directors' Cup, presented annually by the nation's athletics directors, recognizes the schools with the best overall sports performances in an academic year. Points are awarded based on finishes and participation in 20 NCAA Division I sports. Stanford received its 20th consecutive Directors' Cup at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) convention earlier this month.
Points for baseball are yet to be officially awarded by NACDA as the NCAA College World Series is still being played in Omaha. The point totals below include a program's points for baseball. Florida's total (including baseball) sets the Gator program in the final position of second.
UF Athletics Director Jeremy Foley says:
“It was a season of many Gator celebrations. Watching the softball team win their first NCAA trophy and the gymnasts take their second straight certainly was exciting. Finishing second in the Directors' Cup requires many Gator teams to advance and perform well in NCAA Championships' competition. We know that isn't easy. It is the result of much effort and preparation by both our student-athletes and coaches. We thank them for giving Gators everywhere reasons to cheer throughout the year.”
2014 Individual NCAA Champions for the Gators:
Individually, eight Gators claimed a total of eight NCAA individual titles in 2014. Junior Marquis Dendy is the first since 2002 to win both the NCAA Outdoor long and triple jump titles. Junior Dedric Dukes used a personal-best of 19.91 to win the NCAA Outdoor 200-meter dash. He also joined Antwan Wright, Hugh Graham, Jr., Arman Hall to anchor Florida's second consecutive NCAA champion 4x100-meter relay team. Junior Fawn Miller set the 2014 collegiate-best and a personal record (58.13m/190-8) to take the NCAA javelin title.
Senior Marcin Cieslak completed his collegiate career by winning the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley titles at the NCAA Swimming Championships. Sophomore gymnast Bridget Sloan collected the third NCAA individual title of her career with her uneven bars win.
Other Gator successes:
Florida led the league with five 2013-14 Southeastern Conference titles (baseball, men's basketball, soccer, men's swimming & diving, women's indoor track & field). Florida swept the Halifax Media Group Southeastern Conference All-Sports Titles for the 14th time in 2013-14.
In addition, the lacrosse team won its fourth consecutive American Lacrosse Conference title in just the program's fifth year.
Nine Gators picked up conference athletes of the year honors in 2013-14:
| SEC Men's Basketball (player): | Scottie Wilbekin | SEC Men's Indoor Track (runner): | Arman Hall | |
| SEC Men's Basketball (defensive): | Patric Young | SEC Women's Indoor Track (runner): | Cory McGee | |
| SEC Soccer (offensive): | Savannah Jordan | SEC Women's Outdoor Track (field): | Ciarra Brewer | |
| ALC Lacrosse (midfield): | Shannon Gilroy | SEC Volleyball (libero): | Taylor Unroe | |
| SEC Men's Swimming: | Marcin Cieslak | |||
Florida was also successful away from the athletic arena in 2013-14. A total of three UF student-athletes earned Capital One Academic All-America honors and two received NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships.
| Gators by the Numbers |
| 2 NCAA team titles (gymnastics and softball) marks the fifth consecutive season of multiple team titles for the Gator program. |
| 12 top-10 national finishes by 2013-14 teams. |
| 6 conference titles by the Gators in 2013-14, including a league-leading 5 Southeastern Conference wins |
| 9 Gators picked up conference player of the year/athlete of the year awards |
| 3 Gators named Capital One Academic All-Americans |
| 83 percent Graduation Success Rate for UF, as reported last fall in 2013 NCAA Federal Graduation Rate Data. Of the top 10 programs in the 2013-14 Learfield Sports Director's Cup Standings, Florida is one of seven to post a GSR of 83 percent or higher in 2013. All Gator teams are in good academic standing in latest Academic Progress Report released earlier this month by the NCAA. |
| $79.5 million contributed since 1990 by the UAA to UF to fund academic endeavors, including $3.5 million in 2014-15. |
| More than 1 million fans attended 172 home events in 2013-14 |
| 345 student-athletes participated in 4,034 hours of community service in 2013-14, partnering with 25 local schools, 12 civic organizations and 20 non-profit organizations. |
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