Cleveland, OH - With a 116th place finish, the Iona College athletics program fell just shy of the top third in the United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup competition for the NCAA Division I. The Gaels were four slots short of the top third of 336 eligible colleges and universities. The Directors' Cup is presented annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), United States Sports Academy and USA Today to the best overall collegiate athletics programs in the country.

The award was won by Stanford University with 1429.00 points, surpassing runner-up UCLA by 197 points. Stanford won its 13th straight Directors' Cup. Completing the top five were the University of North Carolina in third with 1161.33 points; The University of Michigan, fourth with 1135.25; and the University of Southern California in fifth with 1103.50.

Iona College was the highest MAAC finisher with 139.50 points with stellar performances by its nationally ranked men's and women's cross country programs as well as the men's and women's indoor and outdoor track teams. The Gaels finished ahead of conference foes Marist (T-162nd, 89.00 points) and Manhattan (167, 87.50). Fairfield and Niagara tied for fourth (213th) and were followed by Rider (T-231st), Siena (T-240th), Canisius (T-248th) and Loyola (T-248th). It is the fourth straight year that Iona has been the top MAAC finisher.

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, Alabama, is the program's sponsor. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 20 sports – 10 women's and 10 men's.

Of the 336 eligible colleges and universities in the NCAA Division I, a total of 289 (86 percent) scored points in the United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup competition.

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Finishers

Total        #
Iona       116
Marist     162
Manhattan  167
Fairfield  213
Niagara    213
Rider      231
Siena      240
Canisius   248
Loyola     248

Iona College's Directors' Cup Finishes since 1993-94

2009-10     156th
2008-09     142nd
2007-08     156th
2006-07     116th
2005-06      98th
2004-05     110th
2003-04     104th
2002-03     159th
2001-02     226th
2000-01     169th
1999-00     162nd
1998-99     214th
1997-98     142nd
1996-97     253rd
1995-96      DNF
1994-95      DNF
1993-94     173rd