| Michael James |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; June 1, 2007 ?C After points from two more sports, men??s tennis and men??s volleyball, Penn State remains in the Top 15 of the U.S. Sports Academy??s Directors?? Cup according to the spring standings released on May 31. The No. 13 Nittany Lions have 754.33 points, trailing 12th-place Tennessee by less then 45 points. Penn State is one of five Big Ten schools in the Top 15.
In the 13-year history of the Directors?? Cup, the Nittany Lions have finished in the top 10 seven times and the top five a total of four times. A Top 25 finish would mark the 14th-straight time for the accomplishment. Both men??s golf and softball also qualified for NCAA play in 2007, ensuring the Nittany Lions even more points in the next tally. Men??s and women??s track and field compete next weekend, hoping for good finishes to boost Penn State??s final total.
| Matt Anderson |
Head coach Todd Doebler??s men??s tennis squad earned the team??s second consecutive NCAA bid this year, grabbing the Nittany Lions 25 Cup points. Penn State went 16-7 (6-4 Big Ten). The bid into the 2007 NCAA Championships marked Penn State??s fourth all-time selection (1997, 1998, 2006, 2007). Junior Michael James (Clifton, Va.) was named to the All-Big Ten Team for the first time in his Nittany Lion career.
A historically strong squad, men??s volleyball continued to perform well this year, adding another 25 points to the tally. Head coach Mark Pavlik??s squad followed last year??s runner-up finish with a trip to the national semifinals. The Nittany Lions played to a 22-8 overall record, their 19th EIVA championship and 22nd NCAA appearance. Sophomore Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) was named a Second Team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
The U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. The United States Sports Academy, based in Daphne, Ala., is the program's sponsor. More than 300 Division I institutions are eligible to be ranked in the standings. Points are awarded based on each institution??s finish in up to 20 sports ?? 10 men??s and 10 women??s. Stanford leads the current race with 1245.50 points.