CLEVELAND, Ohio – Anchored by deep runs from the men's and women's golf teams, and a strong finish to the season overall, Gannon University placed 30th among more than 300 NCAA Division II universities in the final 2024-25 season standings for the Learfield Directors' Cup.
The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics ranks the top college athletic programs each year based on schools' performance in the NCAA championships. The NACDA releases Learfield Directors' Cup standings each academic year after the fall, winter, and spring seasons. The leader after the spring season is declared the Directors' Cup champion.
Gannon compiled 81.5 Directors' Cup points during the spring season, with a total of 464 points through the academic year. Grand Valley State was first in the standings with 1080.50 points followed by Wingate (837.25) and West Texas A&M (806.25).
Scott Stano and the golf teams continued their impressive runs since the pandemic. Off their fall PSAC championship, the Golden Knights men's team earned a first place tie at the NCAA Atlantic/East Regional, which included a runner up individual finish from Rasmus Seppanen. He would follow up that performance with an 11th overall finish at NCAA DII National Championships, as Gannon placed 16th as a team, their highest finish since 2021.
Meanwhile, women's golf continued their dominance in the PSAC with a sixth straight conference team title, of which Ditte Petersen took home her third individual crown. A strong finish to the season saw GU place 13th at the NCAA DII East Regional.
Gannon was the only PSAC school to crack the top 30 of the standings. They were joined in the top 50 by East Stroudsburg (31st) & Kutztown (44th), while Slippery Rock finished 51st. Overall, the PSAC placed 16 of its institutions in the standings, which is the highest amount among all Division II conferences.
A year ago Gannon posted its highest finish in the Learfield Directors' Cup standings, finishing 19th. The previous best had been 39th in 2021-22.
With Director of Athletics
Lisa Goddard McGuirk at the helm, Gannon also has won three of the last four Dixon Trophies. Gannon was buoyed by three programs that won PSAC championships – men's basketball and men's and women's golf. But the Golden Knights also exhibited incredible balance with 11 sports scoring 10 points or more.
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 NCAA Championships.
