Texas A&M Finishes 8th in Division I Directors' Cup Standings

July 1, 2011

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M athletics program continues to raise the bar higher as the Aggies posted a record point total of 1090.50 points in the 2010-11 Division I Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings finishing in eighth place in the final rankings, the second consecutive Top 10 performance by the program.

“I am very proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff for this record-setting year and for finishing in the Top 10 for the second straight year,” Texas A&M Director of Athletics Bill Byrne said. “I also applaud our fans, the 12th Man, for making a big impact on the outcome of so many events.”

Byrne was hired in December of 2002 and took office in January of 2003. Prior to his arrival, the Aggies highest finish in the Directors’ Cup was 20th in 1995-96 when Texas A&M finished with 524.50 points. Byrne’s first full year was 2003-04 and the top six finishes for Texas A&M have come with Byrne at the helm of the department.

“We are fortunate to be at a school such as Texas A&M that is a Top 10 institution in so many categories and I am happy our athletics department can be counted among the best in the country,” Byrne stated. “Our mission has remained Building Champions and we continue to strive to get better each and every day, in athletics, academics and being a better overall person. I believe there is room for improvement in each of our sports along with personal growth for each of us as well.”

Texas A&M won nine Big 12 Championship trophies in 2010-11 setting a new mark in that area.

The latest standings included results from baseball where the Aggies reached the College World Series in Omaha and gained 73 points.

With the unprecedented third straight national championship performances by both the men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams, the Aggies scored 567.00 points in the spring. The winter sports, led by the women’s basketball national championship, compiled 420.50 points and the fall sports claimed 103 points.

The Learfield Directors’ Cup takes into consideration the top 10 female sports and the top 10 male sports at each institution. In Texas A&M’s case, the school sponsors 20 intercollegiate sports, 11 female and nine male. Women’s equestrian won the western national championship, but equestrian is not an NCAA-sponsored sport at this time.
           
Of the remaining 19 sports, A&M finished in the Top 10 in 11 of the sports and 14 Aggie teams finished in the Top 25.