Kearney, Neb. - For the recently completed 2009-10 season, Nebraska-Kearney athletics ranked 28th among 233 NCAA Division II programs in the race for the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup.

Much like the RMAC All-Sports Trophy, the Directors Cup awards points based on how teams fair at NCAA Division II Championship events throughout the year. Since the Cup began in 1996, the scoring system has changed often.

UNK scored a total of 426.00 points with the best season being the spring (213.00) as baseball, men's & women's tennis and men's & women's track each picked up at least 25 points towards the trophy. In the winter, the Lopers tallied 135.00 points and then scored 78.00 in the fall.

As usual, Adams State was the top scoring RMAC team (10th/613.50) as the Grizzlies had top eight efforts in men's & women's cross country, men's & women's indoor track and men's & women's outdoor track. Thanks to strong fall and winter seasons, Colorado School of Mines finished 15th (520.50) to be the only other RMAC school ahead of UNK.

Grand Valley State of Michigan won the Directors Cup for a record seventh straight year by scoring 1,021.50 points with California of Pennsylvania a distant second (703.00).

Among state schools, Nebraska-Omaha ranked 30th (415.75), Wayne State was 140th (139.00) and Chadron State was 189th (63.50).

UNK also placed 28th last season (408.50 points) and has reached 400 points in each of the past five seasons. Since the Directors Cup began with the 1995-96 season, the Lopers best finish came in 2005-06 (13th/407.50).

The complete list, and previous year totals, can be found at www.nacda.com.