Dec. 30, 2004

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Cleveland, Ohio - For the first time in the program's 12-year history, the University of Notre Dame holds the top spot in the United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup Division I standings. There has been a different leader in each of the three updates this year.

Moving up from second place in the last set of standings, Notre Dame has taken the lead with 337 points. The Fighting Irish have scored in five sports, including winning the national title in women's soccer and placing fourth in women's cross country, 11th in men's cross country and 17th in men's soccer and women's volleyball.

Just five points behind is defending champion Stanford with 332 points. The Cardinal won the championship in women's volleyball, was the runner up in men's water polo and placed fifth in women's cross country, sixth in men's cross country and 17th in women's soccer. They are followed by Duke, in third with 327 points; UCLA, fourth with 297 points; and Maryland, fifth with 280 points.

These standings are based upon the completion of women and men's cross country, women's field hockey, I-AA football, women and men's soccer, women's volleyball and men's water polo. In addition to Notre Dame and Stanford, winning these national championships were Colorado in women and men's cross country; Wake Forest in field hockey; James Madison in I-AA football; Indiana in men's soccer; and UCLA in men's water polo.

The United States Sports Academy Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. The United States Sports Academy, based in Daphne, Alabama, is in its first year sponsoring the program. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 20 sports - 10 women's and 10 men's.

Fall sports standings to date follows. Please note, standings published midseason are unofficial standings. Official standings will be published upon the completion of the spring season.