ONU CLIMBS TO No. 18 IN LEARFIELD DIRECTORS’ CUP WINTER RANKINGS

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Following the conclusion of the 2024-25 winter seasons in which the Olivet Nazarene University Athletics Department sent five teams to NAIA Nationals, the Tigers climbed six spots to No. 18 among all NAIA universities in the Learfield Directors' Cup Standings, the league office announced Thursday.

ONU's winter season was highlighted by the women's indoor track & field team's sixth-place finish at the NAIA Championships in late February, which accounted for 72.75 points in the standings. The ONU women's swimming & diving team also recorded a top-10 placement to add 69 points with their seventh-place team finish at the NAIA meet. The men's swimming & diving team accrued 54 points for their 12th-place finish while the men's indoor track & field team secured 44.5 points for their 27th-place finish. The ONU women's basketball team secured 25 points for their appearance in the NAIA Tournament.

The 265.25 points from the winter seasons combined with the 153 earned from the fall seasons gives ONU a total of 418.25 points in the Learfield Directors' Cup. This places the Tigers 18th out of the 171 NAIA institutions that have had at least one program competing at a national championship event. ONU is one two representatives from the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference inside the top 25, alongside St. Ambrose in 22nd place.

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 the NAIA winter championships of men's and women's basketball, men's and women's bowling, men's and women's swim & dive, men's and women's indoor track & field, men's and women's wrestling, competitive cheer, and competitive dance.

The final Learfield standings will be released June 10 at the conclusion of spring sport championships.

To view the full release from the NACDA, click here. To view the full NAIA standings, click here.

--ONU—

*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu