Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup
INDIANAPOLIS – The conclusion of the NCAA Wrestling and Indoor Track & Field Championships has helped two Great Midwest Athletic Conference institutions soar into the top 25 of the 2018-19 Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup standings.
As of March 14, Tiffin is currently ranked 15th in the country and Walsh is close behind at No. 21 while eight total schools from the league have accumulated points from the fall and winter events scored.
With one national champion in Jonte Baker (60-meter dash), a third-place men’s team finish and nine different men’s/women’s NCAA All-Americans during the indoor track & field meet in Pittsburg, Kan., alone, the Dragons soared to a new point total of 248.50 after the fall.
Also contributing to Tiffin’s rapid ascension was an eighth-place team finish in Cleveland at the NCAA Wrestling Championships as Nick Mason won the 197-pound national title and Great Midwest Wrestler of the Year Trey Grine was the 149-pound national runner-up.
Tiffin was ranked tied for 95th in the Learfield Directors Cup standings after the fall scoring was tabulated.
Walsh enjoyed some of the same indoor track and field success and trail Ferris State at No. 20 by just half a point going into the men’s and women’s basketball NCAA tournaments this winter.
The Cavaliers will earn a noticeable bump as one of just 19 schools in Division II to have both men’s and women’s basketball programs in the NCAA Championship bracket.
Junior Andra Lehotay was a two-time All-American for the Cavaliers with a fifth-place finish in the mile finals and as a member of the distance medley relay unit. Also earning All-American honors with the DMR unit was Alexa Leppelmeier, Jetaiya Smith and Bre Bakan.
Walsh had gained 170.50 points during all fall events scored and was previously ranked 14th.
Also making gains was Hillsdale as the Chargers climbed into the top 50 by moving up 12 spots to No. 46. HC’s climb can be attributed to All-American honors in indoor track and field by Allysen Eads in the mile and the Chargers will get more points pending NCAA qualifier Anika Ellingson’s performance at the swimming and diving championship in Indianapolis.
Cedarville moved up to No. 79 from t95th with All-American honors from both genders in indoor track and field. Two-time national champ Carsyn Koch-Johnson was seventh in the 800-meter finals and the Yellow Jackets DMR group was one of three All-American quartets from the conference.
Sophomore Tommy Ansiel skied to a new conference record, besting his own previous best mark, for All-American plaudits in pole vault.
Findlay made its first appearance in the standings with 117.75 points for a ranking of 68th nationally. The Oilers enjoyed sweep of the throws competition as senior standouts Austin Combs (weight throw) and Eldred Henry (shot put) each won national titles.
The Oilers’ wrestling program also finished 23rd at nationals as brother Josh and James Wimer were each top eight in their respective weight classes for All-American status.
Ohio Valley’s strong fall with men’s and women’s soccer has the Fighting Scots at No. 60, Malone is also new to the list at 152nd, and Alderson Broaddus debuted at No. 197.