Luther 29th in Final 2007-08 United States Sports Academy Director's Cup Standings

June 13, 2008

Following the completion of the NCAA III national spring championships, Luther College completed the 2007-08 season in 29th place in the Sports Academy Directors' Cup Standings. Luther tallied a point total of 438.50 points following national tournament appearances by the men's golf and tennis teams.

The Sports Academy Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. The United States Sports Academy, based in Daphne, Alabama, is the program sponsor. Points are awarded throughout the year based on each institution's national finish in up to 18 sports -- nine women's and nine men's.

Click here for complete standings.

2007-08 Luther Honors

Iowa Conference Coach of the Year Honors

Yarrow Pasche - Women's Cross Country
Steve Pasche - Men's Cross Country
Lance Huber - Men's & Women's Swimming
Scott Fjelstul - Men's Golf

Iowa Conference Most Valuable Player of the Year Honors

Women's Cross Country - Janet Dobyns (Jr., Iowa City, Iowa/West)
Men's Cross Country - Matt Busche (Sr., Wauwatosa, Wis.)
Men 's Diver of the Year - Alex Eganhouse (Sr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington)
Men's Swimmer of the Year - Bryan Perrott (Sr., Northfield, Minn.)

All-Americans

Men's Cross Country - Matt Busche and David McKay (Jr., Iowa City, Iowa/City) earned All-American honors in cross country by finishing in the top-35 from the field of 280 runners at the national meet. Busche, who was also an All-American in 2006, placed 26th and McKay placed 27th. This marks the second time in as many years that two Norse runners have earned this honor in the same season. Prior to his efforts at the national meet, Busche captured the Iowa Conference individual title and was named the league's MVP.

Women's Cross Country - Janet Dobyns (Jr., Iowa City, Iowa) earned her second consecutive All-America honor with a 4th place finish at the national finale from a field of 280 runners. Dobyns completed an outstanding season capturing her second consecutive Iowa Conference championship and was named the league's MVP for a second time.

Women's Swimming - For the first time in school history, the Norse had five members of the swimming team qualify for the NCAA III National Swimming and Diving Championships. After three days of competition, all five athletes returned home as All-Americans. To earn All-America honors, an individual or a relay team must place in the top-8 of their respective event.

This group of athletes included Elissa Schmidt (Sr., Claremont, Minn./Owatonna), Valarie Hoops (Sr., Freeport, Ill.), Amy Schneider (Jr., East Dubuque, Ill./Wahlert), and Addison Choi (Fr., Aurora, Colo./Grandview) and Rachel Bruns (Albany, Minn.).

Individually, Schmidt was a four-time All-American. She finished fourth in the 200 freestyle (1:51.81) and seventh in the 100 freestyle (51.78). She also earned honorable mention All-America honors in the 50 freestyle finishing 12th (24.15).

Schmidt recorded her two other All-America honors swimming the first leg for both the 800 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay. Following Schmidt in the 800 freestyle relay was Choi, Hoops and Schneider. This foursome posted a time of 7:42.48 that was good for eighth place.

Schmidt, Hoops, Choi and Bruns placed fifth in the 400 freestyle relay, posting a new school record of 3:29.57.

Wrestling - Zach Bartlett (Jr., Nekoosa, Wis.), Travis Grawin (Sr., Elroy, Wis./Royall), Yonny Quist (Jr., Hilo, Hawaii) and Alec Bonander (Jr., Larchwood, Iowa/West Lyon) earned All-America honors at the NCAA III National Wrestling Champions. To earn All-America honors, an individual must place in the top-8 of their respective weight category.

Bartlett (133) finished seventh, Grawin (141) was fourth, Quist (149) placed eighth and Bonander (197) was fifth. Grawin and Bonander earned All-America honors for a second time in as many years.

Women's Track and Field - Jess Jewell (Sr., Decorah, Iowa) was an All-American in both the discus and the shot put at the Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Jewell became a three-time All-American in the discus placing eighth with a mark of 151-10. Two days later, she placed fourth in the shot put with a toss of 45-8, earning All-America honors in this event for the first time of her career.