Cleveland, OH – The UC Athletic department is in 12^th place of NAIA Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup standings after eight Patriots fall and winter sport teams recorded points for their strong finishes at their respective NAIA championship, announced Thursday.  Cumberlands tallied a program-best 200 points during the fall season, while notching 187.5 points during their spring championship. 

Cumberlands has 387.50 total points so far to be the top Mid-South Conference schools in the ranking, sitting outside the top-ten of the overall standings. 

The Patriots success came in part to their strong fall sport finish in program history, where they garnered 200 points.  Cumberlands had three fall sport teams recording points, including a pair of fifth-place finishes from both men's and women's soccer.  Both of those teams earned 73 points apiece after qualifying for the final site of the NAIA Championship for the first time in program history.  Additionally, the women's cross country team tallied 54 points for their 20^th place finish at the NAIA National Championships.

Cumberlands continues to shine during the winter sports season with five team contributing points to the Directors' Cup.  Men's wrestling notched the highest finish of any of the Patriots winter championship team, placing tenth to earn 67.5 points.  UC added 49.5 points from women's indoor track & field, who earned a 23^rd place finish in part to Lisa Voyles NAIA national championship in the 1,000 meter.  Carson Johnson led the men's track and field team to a 52^nd place finish at the men's track and field championship.

For the first time since the 201-14 season both the men's and women's basketball teams advanced to the NAIA national tournament and earn 25 points towards the Directors' Cup.  It was the men's basketball team's eighth consecutive year and 29^th time in the program history qualifying for the championship, while the women's team advanced to nationals for the first time in eight years.

Men's swimming & diving as well as women's swimming & diving were not part of this year's Director's Cup since the 2021 NAIA National Championship were cancelled.  The Director's Cup is comprised of the results from NAIA national championship.

The Patriots are coming off of a seventh place finish in the 2019 Learfield Directors' Cup, which was the highest finish in school history.  UC was ranked fifth through the first round 2019-2020 winter championship, however, the season was halted due to CoVID-19.

The final Directors' Cup standings will be released on July 2, 2021.

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