FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas appears headed for another top-25 finish in the annual Learfield Director's Cup, the annual all-sports rankings sanctioned by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
The Razorbacks' point total in the next set of standings Tuesday will be bolstered by a 12th-place showing by Coach Brad McMakin's men's golf team and the strong finishes projected for both the women's and men's teams at the NCAA Track and Field Championships this week in Eugene, Ore.
The final standings are scheduled to come out June 30 or July 1, depending on when the College World Series concludes.
Arkansas ranks 26th in the standings released June 3, helped by a 12th-place finish fromCoach Shauna Estes-Taylor's women's golf team, which accounted for 63.75 points. The men's tennis team, coached by Andy Jackson, netted 50 points for reaching the round of 32, and the women's tennis team, coached by Michael Hegarty, notched 25 points for making the NCAA Tournament.
Arkansas' total of 565.5 points is fourth among SEC teams, behind No. 8 Florida (836.75), No. 17 Georgia (686) and No. 19 Texas A&M (647.5).
Stanford, last year's champion, leads the way with 1,579.5 points. The top 10 in the Learfield Cup standings is loaded with programs from the Pacific-12, the Big Ten and the Atlantic Coast Conference, which offer sports such as lacrosse, beach volleyball, hockey and rowing that are not common in the SEC.
Arkansas' top scorers during the current athletic year were the men's and women's indoor track and field teams. Coach Lance Harter's women, who were ranked No. 1 heading into the outdoor nationals, and Coach Chris Bucknam's men each finished second at the NCAA indoors to tally 90 points apiece.
NCAA champions receive 100 points.
The Razorbacks finished 16th overall and fourth among SEC teams in the Learfield Cup in the 2014-2015 athletic year with 912.5 points.
Sports on 06/10/2016