AZUSA, Calif. -- For the fourth time in five years, Azusa Pacific posted a top-20 finish in the Learfield-IMG Directors' Cup standings, finishing 20th among NCAA Division II athletics programs. The Cougars were the highest-finishing PacWest program and fourth-highest among Division II's West Region schools.
 
The Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today, to showcase the best all-around collegiate athletics programs. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in NCAA Championships. In Division II, the following four sports – men's basketball, baseball, women's basketball and volleyball – are coutned along with the next highest 11 (max.) sports scored for each institution, regardless of gender.

Azusa Pacific finished the 2018-19 school year with 486.50 points, including 228 points from the Cougars' spring sports programs after receiving 114 points in fall sports and 144.50 points in winter sports. The Cougars' highest-scoring teams were women's tennis and women's basketball (73 points each), along with baseball and men's soccer (64 points each). Other teams contributing points were men's tennis (50 points), women's track and field (41 points in outdoor season and 32.5 points during indoor season), women's swimming & diving (39 points), plus women's volleyball and football (25 points each).

"I'm proud of the continued success of Azusa Pacific Athletics, especially as a private school competing within a relatively new level as a Division II program," Director of Athletics Gary Pine said. "I am continually amazed by the leadership of our coaching staff to keep their focus on the mission of transformation of student-athletes through competitive excellence in the midst of a challenging year for our university. The success of our teams this season was a source of joy and pride for the Azusa Pacific community."

AZUSA PACIFIC DIRECTORS' CUP HISTORY 

NCAA Division II Era (5 years)
2014-15: 17th (522.75 points)
2015-16: 17th (516.75 points)
2016-17: 45th (376.25 points)
2017-18: 20th (498.00 points)
2018-19: 20th (486.50 points)

Previous affiliations
Azusa Pacific concluded its membership in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in 2012, winning eight consecutive NAIA Directors' Cups before transitioning to NCAA Division II starting with the 2012-13 school year. The Cougars were not eligible for NCAA championships for its first two years of Division II competition (2012-13 and 2013-14) before becoming an active member of NCAA Division II in 2014. During the two-year transition, Azusa Pacific won the equivalent awards program administered by the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), claiming the NCCAA Presidential Award for Excellence in 2013 and 2014.