St. Mary’s College Ranked Among Top 100 NCAA DIII Athletic Programs

St. Mary’s College of Maryland has been honored as one of the Top 100 athletic programs in NCAA Division III for the 2023-24 school year, finishing 98th in the final Learfield Directors’ Cup standings. This ranking places the college among the elite in a division that includes 443 institutions.

St. Mary’s College earned a total of 207 points, marking its highest-ever finish and point total in the history of the Directors’ Cup. Additionally, this achievement represents the best performance by any United East Conference member school for the second consecutive year.

“This final ranking is a testament to the combined efforts of our outstanding coaches, student-athletes, and support staff in ensuring we as an institution continue to raise the bar for ourselves and the United East Conference,” said Crystal Gibson, Director of Athletics & Recreation. “Along with our UE peers, we collectively continue to raise the profile and notoriety of one of the most up-and-coming leagues in the country, proving we belong and compete on the biggest stage – NCAA Championships.”

The Learfield Directors’ Cup, established through a partnership between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today, awards points based on each institution’s performance in NCAA Championships.

St. Mary’s College has been featured in 17 of the 29 Directors’ Cup standings since the inception of the program for Division III athletic programs in 1995-96. The college’s previous highest finish was 113th in 2022-23, with 151 points. The Seahawks’ prior best point total was 171 in 2021-22, which earned them a 114th place finish.

The final Division III standings include 18 sports, with mandatory inclusion of men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s basketball. Points are then added from the next-highest sports for each institution, regardless of gender.

For the 2023-24 school year, St. Mary’s College scored in three spring sports: men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, and women’s rowing. In the winter season, points were accumulated through men’s swimming. During the fall, St. Mary’s College earned points in field hockey and men’s soccer.

The Seahawks’ steady performance across multiple sports underscores the depth and strength of their athletic program. With continuous improvements and a collaborative spirit, St. Mary’s College of Maryland is setting a high standard within the United East Conference and beyond.