SU Ranks 44th In NACDA Learfield Director's Cup

The Syracuse University Athletics Department placed 44^th in the 2023-24 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Learfield Division I Director's Cup. It represented the third-best showing in program history for the Orange.

Syracuse's highest result was 21^st in 2015-16. In 2012-13, the program ranked 39^th, and in 2016-17 the Orange produced a 44^th-place finish, which was equaled this year.

The Orange ranked eighth among ACC programs in the final standings.

Syracuse's 2023-24 Director's Cup Points
In 2023-24, the following 10 teams represented the Orange at the nationals in their sport and earned Director's Cup points. The NCAA Champion in each sport received 100 points.

Women's Lacrosse (83 points): The Orange reached the NCAA Final Four before ending its season with a 16-6 record.
Men's Cross Country (69 points): Syracuse finished in ninth place at the NCAA Championships, the squad's top performance since 2016.
Field Hockey (65 points): First-year coach Lynn Farquhar guided the Orange into the NCAA Quarterfinals, the team's third straight appearance in the round of eight.
Men's Lacrosse (65 points): The Orange advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals and accumulated 12 wins, the most since 2017.
Women's Rowing (57 points): Syracuse placed 11^th at the NCAA Rowing Championship, the second-best result in program history.
Men's Soccer (50 points): The Orange reached the NCAA Tournament Second Round last fall before New Hampshire ended Syracuse's season.
Women's Basketball (50 points): The Orange received an NCAA Tournament berth and defeated Arizona before losing to third-ranked Connecticut the second round.
Women's Cross Country (47 points): The Orange were 27^th overall in the program's third-straight NCAA Championship appearance.
Men's Indoor Track (27 points): Jaheem Hayles placed sixth in the 60-meter hurdles at the NCAA Indoor Championship to highlight Syracuse's effort. The Orange tied for 44^th.
Football (25 points): Syracuse earned cup points with an invitation to the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl.

The ACC In The Final Director's Cup Standings
Texas won the 2023-24 NACDA Learfield Division I Director's Cup. The ACC had six teams in the final top 25 and ten in the first 50. Virginia (5^th), North Carolina (7^th), Notre Dame (10th), Florida State (12^th), Duke (17^th), NC State (21^st), Clemson (31^st), Louisville (49^th) and Virginia Tech (50^th) joined Syracuse (44^th) in the top 50.

The NACDA Learfield Division I Director's Cup
The Learfield Director's Cup was inaugurated as a joint effort between NACDA and USA Today. Institutions earn points based on NCAA Championship finishes. There are 19 sports counted in the final Division I standings. Women's volleyball, baseball and men's and women's basketball must be included in the final tally, followed by the next highest sports (15 maximum) regardless of gender. Cup standings were first compiled in 1993-94.

Orange Point-Producing Programs
Women's Lacrosse tallied the most points of Syracuse's teams in 2023-24. Coach Kayla Treanor led the Orange to the NCAA Semifinals, where her club lost to eventual national champion Boston College. It was Syracuse's 10^th appearance in the NCAA Final Four. The Orange won their first outright ACC regular-season crown after finishing 8-1 in the league for the second straight campaign. Syracuse was ranked as high as second in the weekly poll.

Men's Cross Country had Perry Mackinnon (19^th) and Sam Lawler (34^th) cross the finish line first for the Orange at the NCAA Championship to help the group place ninth. Mackinnon and Lawler each earned All-America recognition. Coach Brien Bell had the Orange in the national meet for the 15^th straight year.

Field Hockey made its fourth straight trip into the NCAA postseason bracket and defeated Liberty, 2-1 in overtime, in first-round action. The Orange were beaten in the quarterfinals by eventual semifinalist Duke. Senior Eefke van den Nieuwenhof was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

Men's Lacrosse reached the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals for the first time since 2017 by beating Towson, 20-15, in the opening round of the postseason. Coach Gary Gait's team had its season halted by Denver, 10-8. Fifth-year midfielder Jake Stevens earned second team All-America honors from USILA and Inside Lacrosse. Sophomore attack Joey Spallina was a third team All-America selection from both groups.

Coach Luke McGee charted the successful season for Women's Rowing. Syracuse's varsity eight took eighth, the varsity four was 12^th and the second varsity eight finished 13^th at the NCAA Rowing Championship. The Orange won the 2024 ACC Championship for the first time in program history.

Men's Soccer played its way into the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time under Coach Ian McIntyre. The Orange, defending NCAA Champions, were led by senior Jeorgio Kocevski, the ACC Co-Midfielder of the Year. Syracuse was ranked as high as first during the campaign.

Felisha Legette-Jack coached her alma mater into the NCAA Tournament in the second year of her tenure. Women's Basketball equaled the program record for regular-season wins (23) before finishing the campaign with a 24-8 mark. Legette-Jack was named ACC Coach of the Year. Fifth-year guard Dyaisha Fair earned consensus third team All-America honors.

Redshirt junior Savannah Roark anchored the Women's Cross Country lineup and earned All-ACC laurels for the second straight year. She was 87^th and the team's top finisher at the NCAA Championship.

Jayheem Hayles earned his third straight first team All-America selection, and his fourth overall, with a sixth-place result in the 60-meter hurdles and the NCAA Men's Indoor Track meet.

Football defeated Wake Forest in the final regular season game to secure a bowl berth for the second straight season. Sophomore running back LeQuint Allen Jr. became the 13^th Syracuse player to rush for 1,000 yards in school history and earned second team All-ACC recognition.

NOTE: Men's Rowing had a successful year, placing seventh in the team standings at the 2024 IRA National Championship. It is not an NCAA sponsored sport and therefore does not earn Director's Cup points.

Syracuse University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Sam Lawler

Perry Mackinnon

Joey Spallina

Jake Stevens

Eefke van den Nieuwenhof

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