June 11, 2008

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Buoyed by a strong finish in spring sports, Western Washington University placed No.20 in the 2007-08 U.S Sports Academy Directors' Cup standings in NCAA Division II. It is the highest placing in school history.

The Vikings finished with 466.75 points, 319.75 during the spring and 147.00 during the fall. Heading that effort was a fourth straight national championship in women's rowing and a second-place finish in volleyball.

Western was sixth nationally in women's golf and eighth in men's golf. The Vikings also were 11th in men's cross country, 21st in women's track and 47th in men's track.

Grand Valley State (Mich.) captured its third straight Division II championship with 1028.75 points. The only other Great Northwest Athletic Conference, California Collegiate Athletic Association or Pacific West Conference school to finish higher than Western was CCAA member UC San Diego, which placed fourth with 752.00 points. Seattle Pacific was 27th with 421.25 points.

Stanford (Calif.) won its 14th straight Division I title and Williams (Mass.) took its 10th consecutive Division III championship.

The highest previous placing for Western was 31st during the 2003-04 school year.