University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Bruins Recognized for Athletic Excellence
June 28, 2012
UCLA athletic teams completed their season of competition last week and earned Top Three finishes in both of the national athletic excellence award rankings for 2011-12.
The Bruins placed third in the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup (thedirectorscup.com), which is presented annually by the National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors (NACDA). The Director's Cup honors institutions maintaining a broad-based program, achieving success in many sports, both men's and women's. It was started in 1993-94 for Division I by NACDA and USA Today. UCLA has now finished among the Top Six in the final rankings in 17 of the award's 19 years.
In addition, the UCLA women's sports placed second in the Capital One Cup (capitalonecup.com) while the men's program was third. UCLA was the only institution to have both its men's and women's teams finish in the Top Three. The Capital One Cup is awarded annually to each of the best men's and women's Division I college athletics programs in the country. Points toward the Capital One Cup are earned and tracked throughout the year based on final standings of NCAA Championships and final official coaches' polls.
In the 2011-12 school year, the Bruins had a total of nine teams that completed their seasons among the top five in the nation. UCLA won the women's volleyball championship to capture its 108th overall NCAA title. The Bruins placed second in men's water polo and women's tennis, third in women's gymnastics and women's water polo, tied for third in men's soccer and men's tennis, tied for fifth in baseball and men's golf, eighth in women's golf and women's rowing, 17th in men's outdoor track and field and tied for 17th in women's soccer.