DALLAS, Tex. – Another year, another top-25 finish for the Chico State University athletic department. The Wildcats finished 25th in the 2007-08 U.S. Sports Academy Division II Directors' Cup standings. It is the University’s fifth consecutive top-25 finish and seventh in the last eight years. 

The prestigious award is presented annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) to the best overall collegiate athletic program in the country. Over 280 institutions participate in NCAA Division II athletics.

Grand Valley State (Michigan) won its fifth consecutive Directors' Cup with 1028.75 points. Runner-up Abilene Christian recorded 858 points. Rounding out the top five in the standings were Minnesota State-Mankato with 813.75 points, UC San Diego with 752, and Tampa with 650.

Chico State was the California Collegiate Athletic Association’s (CCAA) second finisher with 437 points. UC San Diego and Western Washington (466.75) were the only West Region programs to finish ahead of the Wildcats.

“I’m very proud of our entire athletic department for another outstanding year,” said Chico State Athletic Director Anita Barker. “Once again we have proved that our department is not only one of the strongest in the West Region, but also one of the strongest in the nation.”

The Directors' Cup total is updated throughout the year and after a strong fall season, the Wildcats sat in sixth place with 202 points. They picked up 80 points for women's cross country's fourth-place finish in the nation, another 72 for men's cross country's sixth-place national finish, 33 more for volleyball’s second NCAA Championship Tournament berth in a row, and 33 more for the women’s soccer team’s third NCAA Championship Tournament berth in the last four seasons.

The Wildcats always take a hit in the winter standings, due to the fact that Chico State features just two of the thirteen winter sports eligible for Directors' Cup points. Despite the 50 points the Wildcats picked up for the women’s basketball program’s sixth NCAA Championship Tournament appearance in a row, Chico State dropped to 28th in the standings.

The Wildcats picked up ground in the spring. Behind another National Championship performances by Scott Bauhs and a second-place finish by Angel Marquez, the men’s track and field team earned 67.5 points. Sarah Montez claimed a National Title on the women’s side to lead them to a 27th-place finish and 46.5 points. The baseball team earned 64 points with another NCAA Championship Tournament West Regional appearance and the men’s golf team added another seven points.