Azuza Pacific Claims Fitfh Straight Learfield Sports Directors Cup

Azuza Pacific University in Azuza, CA, won its fifth straight Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Title, making the school's athletic program the overall best NAIA program in the country. One could argue that 32 National Championships and 101 Conference Championships in their history would rank Azuza Pacific among best intercollegiate athletic program of ANY college.

They were able to secure their fifth straight Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Title by virtue of winning 3 National Titles:, Women's Cross Country, and both Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field in the 2008-09 year. APU's achievement ties the longest streak of consecutive Directors' Cup wins in NAIA history. The school registered points towards its cup-winning tally in 14 different sports, although the Cougars 908-point finish counts only the maximum 12 sports in which program rules allow schools to score (six men's and six women's).

The Learfield Sports Directors' Cup was birthed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and USA Today. Points are awarded on each school's finish in 12 different sports, six Mens and six Womens.

Looking at this University's athletic history, it's no wonder why they've been able to win the Cup 5 straight times. When you have Coaches like Sharon Lehman (1995-2007), who in just her second year took the Cougar Softball Team to the NAIA National Tournament and 3 National Tourney appearances in 6 years, you have a top-notch athletic program. You also have to have a lot of talent, like two-sport standout April Reed (1991-94). Reed was the first Cougar female to earn all-conference honors in two different sports:, Soccer and Softball. Both Coach Lehman and Reed are in the APU Hall of Fame.

Some people might remember a Running Back from the Kansas City Chiefs back in the 80s by the name of Christian Okoye. They called him the "Nigerian Nightmare". Okoye played at Azuza Pacific before making a name in the NFL. Also, just a year ago at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, Decathlete Brian Clay won the Gold Medal in the Decathlon at the 2008 Olympic Games. Clay is an APU alum.

The APU Athletic Program won't quite get the ink that the NCAA Div. 1 programs get, but it certainly doesn't need to take a back seat to them. To win 32 National Championships at any college level is pretty amazing. To win the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup, your program has to win National Titles, or at least finish near the top. Azuza Pacific University has done that five years in a row. That's truly outstanding.