CLEVELAND – The Augustana University athletics department has placed 19th out of 251 schools in the 2024-25 Learfield Directors' Cup after compiling 542.75 points. The finish is the highest official finish since 2021-22 when the Vikings also placed seventh.
 
"We take a lot of pride in broad based, department wide excellence and the top 20 finish for the 13th time in 15 years is indicative of that," said Vice President for Athletics Josh Morton. "I'm proud of our student-athletes and coaches for competing not just locally and regionally, but nationally as well."

The 2024-25 athletics season was highlighted by a pair of individual national championships in the winter during the DII Championships Festival in the winter. On Wednesday, March 12, Bryn Greenwaldt won the 50 free at the DII National Championships, the first national champion in program history. On Saturday, March 15, Cael Larson took the top of the podium, winning a National Championship at 149 pounds while helping the Vikings to a national runner-up finish. 

The Vikings earned top-20 point totals from seven different programs. In the fall, the women's cross country team placed 10th while the football program earned the 17th-most points after winning their third NSIC title in the last four seasons. Wrestling's runner-up finish led the winter while women's swimming & diving placed 12th and men's indoor track & field earned a 16th-place finish. Softball and women's tennis each earned the ninth-most points in their respective groups as softball reached the super regional and women's tennis made the round of 16 for just the second time in program history. 

The Vikings are the second-highest finishing school from the NSIC in the directors' cup standings. In total, Augustana saw 11 sports advance to NCAA postseason action. Six programs won NSIC Championships and the Vikings produced 39 All-America honors throughout the academic year. The athletics department at Augustana now owns 13 top-20 finishes in the annual standings since 1995-96. All 13 of those top-20 showings have occurred in 2010 and beyond.
 
To score points, 15 sports are counted in the final Division II standings, four of which must be women's volleyball, women's basketball, men's basketball and baseball. The next highest (11 max) sports scored for each institution, regardless of gender, are used in the standings.
 
The Learfield Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in NCAA Championships.
 
About Learfield
Learfield is the media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield's presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors' Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
 
About Augustana Athletics
Located in the heart of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Augustana University athletics is home to five team NCAA Division II National Championships while competing primarily in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). Having won 11 individual or team national championships since 2010, the Vikings have shown broad-based athletics excellence by finishing in the top-20 of the Division II Learfield Director's Cup standings in 13 of the last 15 years. In the classroom, Augustana has consistently led the NSIC in All-Academic honorees and tallied 70 Academic All-America honors over the past 15 years. 
 
Augustana Athletics Philosophy Statement
In support of Augustana University's mission, Augustana Athletics aims to provide a student-athlete centered experience committed to distinction in the classroom, excellence in competition, and faithful service to community.
 
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