Links: Final Standings
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Signifying a fitting end to arguably the most successful academic year in school history, the Merrimack College athletic department saw its on-the-field accomplishments recognized in the 2017-18 Learfield Directors' Cup Division II standings, which were finalized this past week.
Merrimack concluded the year in 44
th place nationwide, representing the highest finisher of all 15 Northeast-10 Conference institutions. That overall finish stands as the third-best in the history of the athletic department, with only the 2015-16 and 2016-17 academic years seeing slightly higher finishes (37). The Warriors started the year in 54
th place after the fall standings were released before moving to 61
st after the winter; ultimately, Merrimack would improve by 17 spots to finish in the top-45 nationwide.
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 NCAA Championships. Merrimack qualified for a school-record seven NCAA Championship events or tournaments while two individual student-athletes qualified in the track & field indoor and outdoor championships, respectively, to help the athletic department earn its spot in the standings. The next-closest NE10 institution, Le Moyne, was slotted 56
th overall.
The 2017-18 academic year was a banner year for Merrimack College, none more so than on the athletics front, highlighted by three different programs claiming league titles, with the soccer and baseball programs snapping 20- and 18-year droughts, respectively.
The men's lacrosse team was the story of the spring – and entire academic year – with a historic campaign that ended with the third national title in school history and first in the history of the program. The Warriors won a school-record 18 games, secured their third NE10 tournament title – and first since 2010 – before dominating all three NCAA Championship games they played, culminating with a 23-6 victory in the national title game to put a bow on a sensational year from start to finish.
In addition to those three aforementioned teams, the men's tennis program qualified for its 11
th consecutive NCAA Tournament; the softball team advanced to its second straight NCAA Regional Final; the men's basketball team also earned back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids for just the fourth time in program history, while the men's cross country team made history back in November by earning its first-ever team qualification in the NCAA Championship. Eleven out of 12 Merrimack programs that compete in NE10 sports with tournaments all qualified for those respective championships, as well.
Other highlights from the year included the opening of Merrimack Stadium, the new on-campus facility that serves as the new home of the football, field hockey, men's and women's lacrosse and men's and women's track and field programs and benefits hundreds of student-athletes, club athletes and intramural participants across campus. The College also ushered in its first Merrimack Athletics Hall of Fame Class in 13 years as part of a memorable Homecoming Weekend in October, while at the individual level, 12 different Warriors have been named All-Americans to date, one of them being graduating softball senior
Alyssa Williamson, who was named the NE10 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Monday night, as well.
