:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/15499733/163703697.0.jpg)
In an unexpected addition to the "How Purdue Compares To The Big Ten" series the Sears Director's Cup standings came out earlier today. This competition ranks schools based on the results across 20 different sports. Stanford won for the 19th straight year and it takes the top 20 results (10 men's sports, 10 women's sports) from each school.
With only 18 varsity sports Purdue is already at a disadvantage, but as a school we finished a respectable 42nd nationally. This was out of 294 schools that scored points. Unfortunately when compared to the Big Ten, the Boilers were a dismal 11th out of 12 programs, finishing only ahead of Our Most Hated Rival: Iowa.
Big Ten Finishes In the Director's Cup:
4. Michigan (Won Men's Gymnastics and Men's Swimming National titles)
6. Penn State (Won Wrestling national Championship for third straight year)
16. Ohio State
22. Minnesota (Won Women's Hockey National title)
24. Nebraska
29. Wisconsin
30. Michigan State
31. Illinois (Men's Golf runner-up)
32. Indiana (Men's Soccer National title)
40. Northwestern
42. Purdue
65. Iowa
Future members:
44. Maryland
120. Rutgers
Purdue's best results were in women's volleyball (Sweet 16), women's tennis (Round of 32) and women's golf (Third place). Of the 518.5 points accumulated, 252 came in the winter sports season, most likely the result of the Diving national Championship from Casey Matthews.
As you can see, there is plenty of room to get better when it comes to our own conference, but at least Purdue is stacking up well nationally in a year where it got next to nothing from its men's sports.