CLEVELAND - With NCAA finishes in eight of its 10 sports, the greatest year in Seawolf sports history was capped Wednesday as the University of Alaska Anchorage placed a program-record 16th in the final 2011-12 Division II national standings in the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup.

After top-11 national finishes by men's and women's outdoor track & field during the Spring Championships season, the Seawolves totaled 495.25 points in final Directors' Cup standings, which also established a mark for the program's most ever. UAA's ranking came on the strength of NCAA finishes in all of its D- II sports - skiing (5th place, 75 points), women's cross country's (6th, 75), men's cross country (8th, 66), women's basketball (Elite Eight, 73), men's outdoor track & field (9th, 69), women's outdoor track & field (11th, 65.25), men's basketball (2nd round, 50) and volleyball (1st round, 25).

UAA's best previous placing was 26th in 2010-11, while its most points also came last year with 404. Awarded at the Division II level since 1995-96, the Cup is a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's NCAA finish in up to 14 sports - seven women's and seven men's. There are currently 286 schools that compete at the NCAA Div. II level, meaning UAA's finish ranks among the top 6 percent.

UAA sponsors only 11 sports - two of which, men's and women's skiing, have a combined national meet - among the lowest totals of any Div. II school.

Fellow West Region program Grand Canyon (Ariz.) unseated eight-time defending champion Grand Valley State (Mich.) for the D-II title, 925-894, as the region placed five institutions among the top 16 in the final standings. Among West Region schools, UAA trailed only GCU, UC San Diego (7th), Chico State (8th) and Western Washington (13th). The Seawolves finished second among Great Northwest Athletic Conference members behind only WWU.

UAA sponsors only 11 sports - two of which, men's and women's skiing, have a combined national meet - among the lowest totals of any Div. II school.

2011-12 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup
NCAA Div. II Final Standings
Rk. School                     Pts
 1) Grand Canyon (Ariz.)       527
 2) Grand Valley State (Mich.) 550
 3) Ashland (Ohio)             492.5
 4) Augustana (S.D.)           404.5
 5) Indianapolis               375.5
 6) Adams State (Colo.)        445.5
 7) UC San Diego               388
 8) Chico State (Calif.)       600
 9) Abilene Christian (Texas)  584.5
10) Central Missouri           578.25
11) California (Pa.)           539
12) Western State (Colo.)      521.75
13) Western Washington         521.5
14) Florida Southern           516
15) Ferris State (Mich.)       514.5
16) ALASKA ANCHORAGE           495.25
17) Findlay (Ohio)             514.5
18) Colorado School of Mines   482.5
19) West Chester (Pa.)         478.5
20) Rollins (Fla.)             465.5

Other West Region schools in top 100
 46) Seattle Pacific            307
 53) Cal State Los Angeles      284.5
 78) Alaska Fairbanks           223.5
 88) Cal State Stanislaus       212.5
100) Western Oregon             191.5