Wayne State University Athletics

Warriors Experience NCAA Championship Success

Wayne State looks to build on school record 2013-14 point total in NACDA Directors’ Cup.

By: Kyle Stefan, Guest WSUAthletics.com Writer

Last season was a good one for the Warrior Athletic Department.

J.V. Women's Basketball | 10/1/2014 12:00:00 PM

The following feature originally appeared in Audible, which is the official gameday football program, during the Homecoming contest against Northwood on Sept. 27, 2014.

DETROIT -- Since the turn of the millennium, the Wayne State University athletic department has ascended into one of Division II's premier programs. Staff, administrators and coaches speak of a "family atmosphere" throughout the department, which results in a shared commitment and pursuit of excellence. A thorough commitment to fundraising and facility upgrades has bolstered the athletic campus, while academic success and community outreach serve as pillars of WSU's mission for developing its student-athletes.

Competitive success has followed suit, with Wayne State notching its highest point total ever in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Directors' Cup. The school record 524 points placed Wayne State in the top five percent of Division II schools nationally at 14th of 317 schools.

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Wayne State's 13 highest finishes in the NACDA Directors' Cup have occurred in the past 13 seasons – all under the direction of Athletic Director Rob Fournier. The Warriors have also finished in the top 12 percent nationally in 11 of the past 12 seasons, while establishing a new benchmark of the top five percentile.

Even more remarkable about the 2013-14 finish was that Wayne State was shut out in the Fall sports season, not recording a point until the Winter squads concluded with some standout NCAA Championship performances.

"If you want to measure the overall competitive success of an athletic program, see where they finish in the annual NACDA Cup Standings," said Director of Athletics Rob Fournier.

"Every school has a marquee sport or two, but to consistently achieve success across a number of programs is the true measurement of an athletic department's competitiveness."

"After over a decade of prominence, we have established that record." Men's swimming and diving has been a perennial national power, and the Warriors were near the top of the NCAA standings once again, notching a third place NCAA Championship finish on the men's side while the women placed second.

The women's swimming and diving team has been a mainstay inside the top two at the NCAA Championships, finishing either first or second each of the past six seasons. It was the first time since 2011 that both teams finished inside the top three.

Women's basketball made a return trip to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, recording back-to-back NCAA Tournament victories to earn the trip for the second consecutive year under third-year head coach Carrie Lohr. The Warriors beat Indianapolis and Lewis before falling to Drury in the NCAA Regional Final in Springfield, Missouri.

Coach Jerzy Radz has been a constant at the helm of Warrior fencing, and his men's and women's programs placed inside the top 20 to further enhance the Winter effort. The teams combined to place 17th.

Building on that strong Winter season, Wayne State used an exceptional Spring segment across the board to ascend in the Directors' Cup standings. All six spring sports teams competed at their respective NCAA Championships.

Coach Gary Bryce, the dean of WSU coaches in his 34th season in Midtown, took his Warrior softball team to its third College World Series. The Warriors topped Ashland, Grand Valley State and Indianapolis in the NCAA Regionals before notching a come-from-behind win in a best-of-three NCAA Super Regional series against Missouri-St. Louis to advance to Salem, Va. and the College World Series.

Coach Ryan Kelley and the baseball program finished with a program record 36 wins and edged Drury in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

Jen Rock became the first female track & field All- American in school history by finishing sixth in the 10K, helping the women's track team earn Directors' Cup points at the NCAA Championship meet, while the men's tennis team also tallied points at its NCAA Championship. Women's tennis advanced to its first-ever NCAA Sweet Sixteen to keep the spring success rolling.

Men's golf capped its eighth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, and 10th in the last 11 seasons, by competing in the Midwest/South Super Regional. The Warriors earned an at-large bid through the strength of their play during the regular season and NCAA Regional meets. WSU golf captured the Midwest Regional No. 4 at Noblesville, Indiana to strengthen its case at the end of the season.

"When you consider our NACDA finish, our community volunteer hours (10,107), GPA (3.07) and graduation rate (72% in five years) we have a pretty good foundation to build upon, and one coaches, student-athletes and alumni can be proud to acknowledge," finished Fournier.

Kyle Stefan is a former writer/editor for The South End as well as a former men's golf student-athlete.

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Players Mentioned

Jen Rock: Distance; 5' 3"; Graduate Student; 2-Indoor/2-Outdoor

Players Mentioned

Jen Rock
: 5' 3"; Graduate Student; 2-Indoor/2-Outdoor
: Distance