Successful post-season performances by Warhawk athletic teams catapulted the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the 2011 Directors' Cup rankings.
UW-Whitewater finished sixth among more than 440 Division III universities, scoring 722.75 points, more than any other public university.
"This recognition truly shows we are getting the best and brightest student athletes coming to UW-Whitewater and competing for remarkable coaches and staff," said Paul Plinske, athletic director. "That combined with state-of-the-art facilities and an institution with a wonderful academic reputation shows why we've become such a popular university."
The Directors' Cup, awarded annually by the National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors, honors athletic success in men's and women's college sports in the United States.
The Warhawks' NCAA Div. III football national championship and strong playoff performances in men's soccer, volleyball, women's basketball, tennis, wrestling, track and field, baseball and softball all contributed to UW-Whitewater's point total.
Plinske noted that the rankings do not include this year's Div. I men's wheelchair basketball championship, the Div. II rugby national championship, and the gymnastics second-place national tournament finish.
"We had a phenomenal year," Plinske said. "We'll continue to build on that success. Expectations are high and our athletes know it."
Other WIAC schools finishing in the top 25 include (9) UW-Stevens Point 686.25 - points, (12) UW-Oshkosh - 636.75 points, and (14) UW-Eau Claire - 615.50 points.
Sara Kuhl
262-472-1194
kuhls@uww.edu