Washington University finished fifth in the 2002-03 USA Today/NACDA (National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics) Directors’ Cup Division III standings of the top athletic programs in the nation.
The Directors’ Cup measures the overall success of athletic departments in the three NCAA divisions as well as NAIA. The standings are based on points awarded for NCAA postseason finishes by a school’s athletic teams. It is the highest showing for WUSTL in the eight-year history of the award.
The University scored points in 11 of a possible 16 sports to finish with 638.75 points. Williams College ran away with top honors with 1,158.25 points, followed by Emory University (779), College of New Jersey (695.75) and Trinity University of Texas (680) in fourth.
There are 424 schools in NCAA Division III eligible for the Directors’ Cup, putting Washington University in the top 1 percent. With University Athletic Association rival Emory finishing second, the conference was the only one in Division III with two schools in the top five.
Runner Hoelle is academic All-American
Junior Matt Hoelle was named to the first-team Verizon Academic All-American College Division Men’s Track/Cross Country Team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Hoelle, who maintains a 4.0 grade-point average while majoring in chemical engineering, was one of 15 student-athletes named to the first team. After top-10 finishes as a freshman and sophomore, Hoelle was the runner-up at the 2002 UAA Cross Country Championships. A three-time all-UAA selection in cross country and a two-time selection in track and field, Hoelle became the 15th male runner in school history to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships after an 11th-place finish at the Midwest Regional in 2002. At the NCAA Cross Country Meet, Hoelle placed 65th out of 215 runners.
Sports information director named
Chris Mitchell has been named sports information director in the Office of Public Affairs.
A 1999 graduate of McKendree College, Mitchell has served as assistant sports information director for the past two years. As director, he will oversee the promotion and publicity of the University’s highly successful NCAA Division III athletics department.
“Chris has done an excellent job carrying the banner high for the teams on his beats,” said Judith Jasper Leicht, associate vice chancellor and executive director for University communications. “We’re delighted that he will be bringing his experience and high level of professionalism to managing sports information for all teams.”
The Bears matched a conference record by winning nine University Athletic Association titles in 2002-03 and finished fifth, out of 424 Division III schools, in the USA Today Directors’ Cup rankings of the top athletic programs in the country.
Mitchell’s media guides and publications have won numerous national awards from the College Sports Information Directors of America organization, including seven in 2002-03 that were judged seventh or better. He assisted with the football media guide that was judged best in the nation for all non-Division I schools, and his volleyball, soccer and women’s basketball media guides all finished in the top four.
Mitchell replaces Keith Jenkins, who left the University to pursue graduate studies.