FULL RELEASE

Division II Final                Division II Conference Standings
 
CLEVELAND – The 2021-22 year marked the first full season for intercollegiate athletics since COVID-19 disrupted the 2020 spring season for all, and the Queens University of Charlotte Royals were able to pick right back up where they left off finishing fourth in the 2021-22 Final Learfield Directors' Cup Standings. The Royals totaled a new program record of 747.50 total points to surpass the previous benchmark of 721.75 points from the 2018-19 season. This year's finish is also the fifth straight in the top 10 for Queens, and the second straight in the top five.
 
"There aren't enough words to share the immense pride I have for our coaching staff and their teams," Queens Director of Athletics Cherie Swarthout stated. "We were very purposeful this year outlining our expectations. First, we needed to safely emerge from a global pandemic and the risks associated with that in all aspects. Second, we were to live out our value of pursuing excellence, both in the classroom and in competition. This meant returning to campus, communicating early and often, and showing up in a high-quality manner. If we did this, we felt we would compete at the highest level." 
 
The Royals and the Grand Valley State University Lakers are the only two schools that have finished in the top 10 for the past five rankings, and the Lakers took the win for the 14^th time in program history after totaling 1,013 points. West Texas A&M finished second with 862.25 points and UIndy finished third with 844.50 points.
 
At the close of the fall season, Queens totaled 177.50 points to sit in 15th place with the women's and men's cross-country teams leading the way. The women's team earned 73.5 points after finishing sixth at the national championship, their highest finish in program history, while the men received 54 points after finishing 20th. Additionally, the Queens women's soccer team earned 50 points after reaching the second round of the NCAA Championships for the second time in program history. They finished the year recording the most wins in program history at 16.
 
In the winter, Queens totaled 362.50 points to jump into third place with the men's and women's swimming teams leading the charge after securing 100 points each for their seventh straight national championships. Men's basketball added 64 points following their sixth Sweet 16 appearance in program history while the Royals track and field programs added 83.5 points, which included 67.5 from the women's team following a 10th place finish at indoor nationals. The men's wrestling program would round out the Royals' success with 15 points as a program-record three Royals competed at the championships. Only 331.50 of the winter points counted towards Queens' total.
 
Queens capped its final season in Division II earning 238.50 points in the spring after six teams advanced to the NCAA Championships. The Royals' powerhouse women's lacrosse team was in front, reaching the final four for the third straight season to earn 83 points. They finished the year at 21-1 to record the most wins in program history. Women's track & field followed with an 11^th place finish at the outdoor championships for 66 points while the men's team earned 39.5 points. Both the men's and women's tennis teams earned 25 points after sweeping the SAC Regular Season and Tournament Championships to advance to the NCAA Championships, and men's golf earned a berth to the Championships after winning the SAC Championship.
 
"Our Learfield point contribution demonstrates the depth of Queens' excellence," Swarthout commented. "We had six women's and six men's programs contribute to our total score. Additionally, June 23 is the 50th anniversary of Title IX, and to measurably see the leadership and contribution to our vision by our women's programs is both intentional and deliberate."
 
Not accounted for in the point total was Queens' sixth national title in women's triathlon which followed the men and women sweeping their conference championships. The Royals' triathlon programs also repeated as USA Triathlon Collegiate Club Combined Team National Champions and Men's Team National Champions. Additionally, the men's rugby team returned to the national semifinals after moving up to Division I competition.
 
"Our fifth consecutive top-10 finish culminated in our highest point total, setting a new benchmark for Queens," Swarthout added. "This is an appropriate finish to our Division II history. As we transition to Division I, our commitment to leverage our unique location to Uptown Charlotte to recruit the best of the best will remain the same. At Queens, we lead from a position of strength and continue to put ourselves in a position to win. Finally, we are ready to deliver results, embrace our fans and families, and offer an experience to our student-athletes that differentiates us from our competitors." 
 
For the year, the Royals captured 12 conference tournament championship titles and had 16 teams make NCAA Championship appearances. The Royals also posted a GPA above 3.3 for the third consecutive season recording a 3.39 GPA for the year. It is also the 11th straight year that the department has recorded above a 3.0 GPA as 468 athletes earned a 3.0 or higher, once again showing that the Royals are high performing in the classroom and in competition. Additionally, three Royals earned NCAA Elite 90 Awards, the highest academic honor presented at the final NCAA Championship site.
 
Swarthout closed by stating, "Our tradition is to light the lion showing our surrounding community that we have once again performed at the highest level. Thank you, to our faculty and staff that support the great efforts of our student-athletes."
 
In May, Queens announced that its transition to Division I would begin July 1 as the Royals are set to compete in the ASUN Conference beginning this fall.
 
Be sure to follow Queens Athletics on all social media platforms by searching @QueensAthletics for news and updates surrounding the Royals.
 
SCORING REMINDER
Overall, 15 sports are counted in the final DII standings, four of which must be women's volleyball and basketball and men's basketball and baseball. The next highest (11 max.) sports scored for each institution, regardless of gender, are used in the standings.
 
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.
 
Please note, standings published midseason are unofficial. Official standings will be published upon the completion of the spring season. Complete standings and the scoring structure can be found on NACDA's website at www.directorscup.org. In addition, please visit www.thedirectorscup.com and follow us on Twitter @ldirectorscup.
 
About LEARFIELD: LEARFIELD is a leading media and technology services company in intercollegiate athletics. The company unlocks the value of college sports for brands and fans through an omnichannel platform with innovative content and commerce solutions. LEARFIELD services include licensing and multimedia sponsorship management; publishing, audio, digital and social media; data analytics; ticketing, ticket sales, and professional concessions expertise; branding; campus-wide business and sponsorship development; and venue technology systems. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed LEARFIELD Directors' Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.