The Case Western Reserve University Department of Physical Education and Athletics continued its stretch of high finishes in the Learfield Directors' Cup, placing 41st in the final 2024-25 standings.
The Learfield Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in the NCAA Championships.
CWRU, which had never finished higher than 59th before the 2021-22 season, recorded its fourth-consecutive top-50 finish in the Learfield Directors' Cup this year. The Spartans totaled 416.5 points for the year, the fourth-highest total in program history since the award was first issued to Division III programs following the 1995-96 season.
Three Spartan teams scored for the department during the spring, led by the men's tennis team's second-place finish at the NCAA Championships which earned 90 points. The baseball team, which reached the NCAA Super Regionals, scored 64 points, while the softball team added 50 points by reaching the championship of the regional round of the NCAA Tournament.
CWRU was ranked 53rd after the fall season with scoring finishes from women's soccer (17th place, 50 points), volleyball (33rd place, 25 points), and men's cross country (33rd place, 32 points). CWRU added on 105.5 points in the winter as women's (17th place, 57 points) and men's (25th place, 48.5 points) swimming and diving each scored to give the Spartans a total of 212.5 points and put the department in 54th place heading into the spring.
While the Learfield Directors' Cup finish provided evidence of another outstanding year for CWRU Athletics, it was one of many accomplishments for the Spartans in 2024-25. A total of 24 Spartans earned All-America honors, the second-most in program history, while six CWRU athletes were named College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans, with softball, baseball, track & field/cross country, and wrestling still yet to name their teams. In addition, three Spartans - Abigail Wilkov of the women's swimming & diving team, Ajay Mahenthiran of the men's tennis team, and Lily McCloskey of the women's tennis team - won the NCAA Elite 90 Award for having the highest GPA among participants at their NCAA Championship site. Wilkov also was named the CSC Academic All-America Women's Swimming & Diving Team Member of the Year. Baseball and men's tennis each won UAA Championships during the 2024-25 season.
