July 2, 2008

NORMAN, Okla. - For the eighth time in the last nine years, Oklahoma has finished among the top 25 in the United States Sports Academic Director's Cup standings. The standings measure the overall strength of an athletics program based on its finish in up to 20 sports 10 for men and 10 for women.

The Sooners were No. 23 in this year's race, third among the Big 12 Conference schools. Texas was No. 5 and Texas A&M was No. 12. Other Big 12 schools and their finishes included Nebraska at No. 31, Oklahoma State at No. 33, Missouri No. 38, Baylor No. 42, Texas Tech No. 44, Colorado No. 50, Kansas No. 54, Iowa State No. 58 and Kansas State No. 71.

Stanford was No. 1 for a 14th straight year followed by UCLA and Michigan.

Oklahoma teams won the national championship in men's gymnastics and claimed conference crowns in football, women's gymnastics and men's gymnastics. Seventeen of the 20 Sooner sports qualified for post-season competition.

Prior to its current string in the top 25, Oklahoma had gone four straight years at no better than No. 34. OU has been the top finishing school from the state of Oklahoma for each of the last 10 years, and the only school from the Sooner State to finish among the top 25 in any of those years.