Messiah leads state with strong Learfield finish

The Messiah Falcons confirmed their status as the leading NCAA Division III athletics destination in Pennsylvania for the 16th-straight year. The ranking came via the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup, a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today, with points awarded based on each institution’s finish in up to 18 sports—nine women’s and nine men’s.

The Falcons finished with 500.50 points, good for No. 29 overall among the 300-plus institutions that qualified for the list. Along with being the top-rated institution in the state, the ranking placed Messiah in the top 35 for the 16th-straight year.

Messiah wrestling and softball earned 90 points for finishing as the national runner-up in both sports, while women’s soccer and field hockey also contributed 83 and 70, respectively, thanks to NCAA tournament play. Women’s lacrosse; men’s and women’s tennis; and men’s indoor and outdoor track and field also scored points in the ranking. The Falcons’ point total also marked the fifth time in program history to reach 500+ points.

—Steve King ’06, associate athletics director for communications and compliance