CONTRIBUTED BY MILLIGAN ATHLETICS

MILLIGAN COLLEGE – Led by the men’s cross country/track & field program which finished No. 6 nationally in the program of the year standings, Milligan College Athletics earned a final position of No. 31 in the Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup standings.

The 2018-19 athletics season was full of highlights for Milligan.

The Buffaloes peaked as high as No. 15 in the directors’ cup standings and received points from nine athletics teams.

Women’s cross-country garnered the most points (64.5) after finishing the season No. 12 in the NAIA.

The men’s cross-country/track & field program produced points in all three of its disciplines, placing No. 17 in cross-country in the fall, No. 16 during indoor track & field season in the winter, and a program-best No. 14 during the outdoor season in the spring.

Milligan’s cross-country/track & field program produced 10 NAIA All-Americans and two NAIA national champions.

In all, Milligan earned 15 All-Americans and placed seven teams in the NAIA postseason top 25.

Along with the cross-country teams, the women’s volleyball team put the Buffaloes off to a great start in the fall.

The volleyball team qualified for the NAIA national championship final site for the first time since 1996 on the way to finishing No. 24 nationally and earning 37.5 points toward the directors’ cup standings.

During the winter season, the women’s basketball team and both swimming teams earned placements in the top 17.

At No. 31 nationally, Milligan finished as the highest institution in the Appalachian Athletic Conference.

Union College (No. 37) and Tennessee Wesleyan University (No. 48) both finished in the top 50, while SCAD Atlanta, Reinhardt and Brenau all finished in the top 100.

Began in 1993-94 for NCAA Division I by NACDA and USA Today, the Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup expanded in 1995-96 to include Division II, III and the NAIA.

Similar to the AAC’s Duard Walker All-Sports Trophy, the program honors institutions maintaining a broad-based program, achieving success in many sports, both men’s and women’s.

Points are scored in 23 championship sports – men’s and women’s cross country, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer, football, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, men’s wrestling, cheer, dance, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s outdoor track & field, men’s and women’s tennis, baseball and softball.