BYU Finishes Athletic Year at No. 17 in Sears Cup Rankings

PROVO -- The BYU athletic program ended a historic season in which it won 16-of-19 conference championships and saw 20-of-21 teams participate in postseason competition by scoring 708 points and finishing No. 17 in the Sears Cup.

The Sears Cup is an annual award given to the best overall collegiate athletics programs in the country based on points accumulated for placing in national championship competition.

The Cougars improved upon last year's 18th-place finish by winning a men's volleyball national championship as well as a runner-up finish by the women's cross country team. Senior Elizabeth Jackson won BYU's lone individual national championship with a first-place finish in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.

The sports in which BYU scored points included women's cross country (90), men's cross country (29), women's soccer (50), women's volleyball (50), men's basketball (25), women's gymnastics (53), men's swimming (36.5), women's indoor track and field (65), men's indoor track and field (44), women's golf (31), men's golf (26), softball (20), women's tennis (20), men's tennis (20), women's outdoor track and field (73), men's outdoor track and field (64.5), men's volleyball (100) and baseball (20).

Previous Sears Cup Standings

Year Place Pts.

2000-01 17th 708.0

1999-00 18th 657.5

1998-99 12th 420.0

1997-98 18th 360.0

1996-97 16th 553.0

1995-96 33rd 430.0

1994-95 28th 404.0

1993-94 22nd 488.0