Hope College finished among the NCAA Division III leaders in the annual NACDA Directors' Cup standings for the 2002-03 school year.

Hope College finished among the NCAA Division III leaders in the annual NACDA Directors' Cup standings for the 2002-03 school year.

Hope finished 31st among 281 NCAA Division III colleges in the standings compiled by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

The NACDA Directors' Cup standings are based on points earned by teams that compete in NCAA championship events. The national award program began eight years ago.

Hope College has ranked among the nation's top 50 NCAA Division III programs in seven of the eight years. The best year was 23rd in 1997-98. Hope's place in the standings other years were 1995-96, 26th; 1996-97, 46th; 1998-99, 47th; 1999-00, 47th; 2000-01, 38th; and 2001-02, 70th.

Williams (Mass.) College topped this year's standings for the seventh time in eight years. Rankings of other MIAA schools were Calvin (22nd), Kalamazoo (105th), Albion (133rd), Alma (161st), Olivet (207th) and Adrian (239th).

During the 2002-03 school year Hope won the Commissioner's Cup of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) for the best cumulative results in men's and women's sports. Hope qualified individuals or teams in eight NCAA national championships -- men's soccer, women's golf, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's swimming, baseball and men's tennis.