Joplin, Mo. – Behind post season appearances by both men’s and women’s track and field, as well as the baseball team, the Missouri Southern athletic department finished 55th in this year’s Learfield Sports/NACDA Director’s Cup standings, the organization announced today.
The Southern baseball team won the 2013 MIAA Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Central Region Tournament for the first time since the 2001 season. The Lions lost out in the first-round to eventual national runner-up Minnesota State in an epic 14-inning pitcher’s duel that saw both starters pitch into the 11th inning.
The MSSU track and field program picked up points in all three season’s this year. The men’s cross country team placed 8th at the national championships held in Joplin, while the women were 20th. Both the men and women sent individuals to each of the championships this year in both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Southern was fifth among MIAA schools in the standings as Central Missouri finished 16th nationally. Central Oklahoma won the national championship in softball and placed 27th, while Lincoln was 52nd. Nebraska-Kearney came in just in front of Southern in 53rd. SBU was 59th, while Fort Hays (65th) and Emporia State (79th) gave the MIAA nine schools in the top 100.