NEW YORK—Fueled by a school-best seven Ivy League team championships, two national team titles, one individual national title and its highest-ever finish in the national Learfield Directors Cup standings, the 2017-18 academic year proved to rank among the most successful in the 150-year history of Columbia Athletics.
 
On a national scale, Columbia captured the 2018 men's lightweight rowing and 2018 archery compound team national titles, women's fencer Iman Blow won the 2018 individual NCAA Division I foil championship, three teams earned No. 1 national rankings, 10 programs earned top-25 national rankings, eight teams advanced to NCAA Championship events and 23 student-athletes earned All-America honors.
 
Columbia enjoyed its most successful season-ever in the Ivy League as its won seven team championships and 16 individual or mini-squad titles, eight student-athletes earned Ivy League Player of Performer of the Year honors and six coaches garnered Ivy League Coach of the Year awards. Columbia claimed team championships in women's cross country, men's squash, women's fencing, men's fencing, men's tennis, lightweight rowing Varsity 8 and baseball. In addition, eight teams finished either in first or second place in the Ivy League standings or championship event.
 
The Lions also secured their highest-ever finish in the national Learfield Directors Cup standings as it concluded the 2017-18 academic year ranked No. 70 overall. With 314.0 points, Columbia also ranked as the third highest institution in the Ivy League behind No. 38 Princeton (579.50) and No. 65 Harvard (365.00).
 
Columbia earned its ranking based on an NCAA Tournament First Round win and NCAA appearances by the men's soccer and men's tennis teams and successful national finishes in men's and women's cross country. The Learfield Directors' Cup is an award given annually by NACDA to the colleges and universities in the United States with the most success in college athletics during each academic year. Points for the Directors' Cup are based on NCAA championship participation and success. Final results are typically announced in late June.
 
"We take great pride in our success," Columbia University Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Peter Pilling said. "These championships, honors and awards are a testament to the hard work of our student-athletes and coaches both on and off the field."


 
Here is a listing of the Columbia's athletic achievements in 2017-18:
 
COLUMBIA'S 2017-18 HIGHLIGHTS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
 
*Two teams captured national championships (2018 Men's Lightweight Rowing, Varsity-8; Archery, 2018 compound).
 
*One student-athlete captured a national championship (Iman Blow, 2018 women's fencing foil national title) and two earned national runner-up honors (Sam Moelis, 2018 men's fencing foil, Sophia Strachan, 2018 archery individual compound).
 
*23 student-athletes earned All-America honors.
 
*A school-best seven teams captured team Ivy League Championships in 2017-18 (2017 women's cross country, 2018 men's squash, 2018 women's fencing, 2018 men's fencing, 2018 men's tennis, 2018 lightweight rowing Varsity 8, 2018 baseball).
 
*16 individuals or mini-squads captured individual Ivy League Championships: Ryan Thomas, 2017 men's cross country champion; Sylvie Binder, 2018 women's fencing foil champion; Akua Obeng-Akrofi, 2018 women's indoor 400-meter dash champion; Alek Sauer, 2018 men's indoor 1000-meter run champion; Kenny Vasbinder, 2018 men's indoor 5,000-meter run champion; Sarah Hardie, 2018 women's indoor 1,000-meter run champion; 2018 indoor women's distance medley relay champion (Nell Crosby, Betty Jackson, Bianca Alonzo, Sarah Hardie); Jonathan Suckow, 2018 men's diving 1M champion; Jonathan Suckow, 2018 men's diving 3M champion; Markus Scheidel, 2018 EIWA 157-pound champion; Brian Zabilski, 2018 men's outdoor 10,000-meter champion; Ryan Thomas, 2018 men's outdoor 5,000-meter run champion; 2018 outdoor men's 4x800-meter run champion (Jackson Stoney, Sam Ritz, Josiah Langstaff, Alek Sauer); Nell Crosby, 2018 women's outdoor 3,000-meter steeplechase champion; Sarah Hardie, 2018 women's outdoor 1,500-meter champion; 2018 men's lightweight rowing Varsity 8 squad.
 
*Eight student-athletes were named the Ivy League Player or Performer of the Year in their respective sport: Arthur Bosua (Offensive Player of the Year, men's soccer), Victor Pham (Player of the Year, men's tennis), Osama Khalifa (Player of the Year, men's squash), Taylor Troutt (Player of the Year, softball), Natalie Ambrose (Defensive Player of the Year, women's soccer), Jonathan Suckow (Karl B. Michael High Point Diver of the Meet, men's diving), Jayden Pantel (Ron Keenhold Career High Point Diver, men's diving) and Lindsey Ewertson (Midfielder of the Year, women's lacrosse).
 
*Three teams earned No. 1 national rankings: 2018 archery (compound national champions), 2018 lightweight rowing, 2018 women's fencing.
 
*10 teams earned top-25 national rankings during the 2017-18 academic year: archery, women's cross country; men's cross country; men's soccer; men's fencing; women's fencing; men's squash; women's squash; men's tennis and men's lightweight rowing.
 
*Eight teams either finished in first or second place in the Ivy League standings or championship event: 2018 football (2^nd place), 2017 women's soccer (2^nd place), 2017 women's cross country (champions), 2017 men's cross country (2^nd place), 2017 men's soccer (2^nd place), 2018 men's squash (champions), 2018 women's fencing (champions), 2018 men's fencing (champions), 2018 men's tennis (champions), 2018 baseball (champions).
 
*326 Columbia student-athletes earned Dean's List status (spring 2017 and fall 2017 semesters).
 
*55 student-athletes earned a 4.0 term grade point average, both five-year highs (spring 2017 and fall 2017 semesters).
 
*Two student-athletes were honored as Academic All-Americans in their respective sports: Chris Schroer (football) and Garrett Ryan (wrestling).
 
*Two teams earned the highest accolades for academic team accomplishment: Field Hockey registered the nation's No. 2 combined team grade point average; Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving earned a CSCAA Scholar All-America team honor (Many of these team awards won't be announced until June).
 
*Eight programs earned NCAA Championship team postseason berths: women's cross country, men's soccer, fencing (M/W), men's squash (CSA), women's squash (CSA), men's tennis, wrestling, baseball.
 
*Six coaches earned Ivy League Coach of the Year honors: Dan Ireland (women's cross country), Al Bagnoli (football), Jim Bolster (men's swimming & diving), Jacques Swanepoel (men's squash), Nich Lee Parker (men's lightweight rowing) and Brett Boretti (baseball). Bagnoli was one of five finalists for the AFCA National Coach of the Year and 18 finalists for the STATS FCS National Coach of the Year award. He also earned the AFCA Region 1 FCS and ECAC FCS Coach of the Year honors.
 
*38 Columbia student-athletes earned First Team All-Ivy League honors.
 
*Columbia hosted its first-ever NCAA Men's Tennis Tournament First and Second Rounds as the Lions played host to four teams at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, N.Y. The Lions won both first and second round matches to advance to the national championships for the third time in school history.
 
*Columbia Football enjoyed its winningest season in 21 years as the Lions posted an 8-2 record and finished second in the Ivy League with a 5-2 record. In addition, Columbia began a season with six straight wins for the first time since 1996, completed the school's longest win streak since 1935 (seven games) and posted one of the nation's top-five best yearly season comebacks in the FCS with a five-win improvement from 2016 to 2017.
 
*Columbia Baseball captured the Ivy League Championship series by defeating Yale two times (best of three series).
 
*Columbia advanced to its first-ever Ivy League women's lacrosse tournament.
 
2017-18 COLUMBIA ALL-AMERICANS, NATIONAL AWARD-WINNERS
 
Team
Women's Cross Country, NCAA qualifier, 28^th place
Men's Soccer, NCAA qualifier, advanced to second round
Wrestling, 3 wrestlers qualified for 2018 NCAA Championship
Fencing: 2^nd place finish at NCAA Championship
Men's Squash: 2^nd place finish at CSA Team Championships
Women's Squash: 7^th place finish at CSA Team Championships
Men's Diving: 2 divers qualified for NCAA Championship
Women's Indoor Track & Field: 1 runner qualified for NCAA Championship
Baseball, NCAA automatic qualifier, Gainesville Regional
Women's Outdoor Track & Field: Six athletes qualified for 2018 NCAA Championship
Men's Tennis: won regional in New York, finished among top-16 teams nationally
 
Individual All-American Award-Winners
Iman Blow, 2018 First Team Fencing All-America, 2018 NCAA Champion (foil)
Sam Moelis, 2018 First Team Fencing All-America, 2018 NCAA runner-up (foil)
Sidarth Kumbla, 2018 First Team Fencing All-America, 3^rd place finish
Sylvie Binder, 2018 First Team Fencing All-America, 3^rd place finish
Katie Angen, 2018 Second Team Fencing All-America
Gabe Canaux, 2018 Second Team Fencing All-America
Lena Johnson, 2018 Honorable Mention Fencing All-America
Calvin Liang, 2018 Honorable Mention Fencing All-America
Porter Hesslegrave, 2018 Honorable Mention Fencing All-America
Markus Scheidel, 2018 Wrestling NCAA qualifier (157)
Garrett Ryan, 2018 Wrestling NCAA qualifier (heavyweight)
Tyrel White, 2018 Wrestling NCAA qualifier (174)
Sarah Hardie, 2018 Indoor Track and Field All-American (One Mile)
Chris Schroer, 2017 CoSIDa Academic All-America Second Team selection
Osama Khalifa, 2018 Men's Squash First Team All-American, Skillman Award winner
Velavan Senthilkarnar, 2018 Men's Squash First Team All-American
Tanvi Khanna, 2018 Women's Squash Second Team All-American
Arthur Bosua, 2018 USCA Second Team Men's Soccer All-American, Semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Award (one of 15)
Sophia Strachan, 2018 U.S. National Indoor Archery Championships Silver Medal (compound), 2018 Collegiate Archery Program All-American
Brittney Shin, 2018 Collegiate Archery Program All-American
Bianca Gotuaco, 2018 Collegiate Archery Program All-American
Camille Zimmerman, 2018 NCAA Coaching Program at Final Four
Johnathan Suckow, 2018 NCAA Diving qualifier, 3M, 1M
Jayden Pantel, 2018 NCAA Diving qualifier, 3M, 1M
Anders Hill, one of 37 national semifinalists for the NFF William V. Campbell Trophy
Sarah Hardie, 2018 Outdoor Track and Field, Second Team All-American (1,500-meters)
Akua Obeng-Akrofi, 2018 Outdoor Track and Field, Second Team All-American (400-meters)
4x400-meter relay team (Akua Obeng-Akrofi, Sydney Petersen, Iman Sule, Terry Turner), 2018 Outdoor Track and Field, Honorable Mention All-America
 
2017-18 COLUMBIA IVY LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
 
Team Champions
2017 Women's Cross Country
2018 Men's Squash
2018 Men's Fencing
2018 Women's Fencing
2018 Men's Tennis
2018 Men's Lightweight Rowing
2018 Baseball
 
Individual Champions
Ryan Thomas, 2017 Men's Cross Country Champion
Sylvie Binder, 2018 Women's Fencing Foil Champion
Akua Obeng-Akrofi, 2018 Women's 400-Meter Dash Champion
Alek Sauer, 2018 Men's Indoor 1,000-Meter Run Champion
Kenny Vasbinder, 2018 Men's Indoor 5,000-Meter Run Champion
Sarah Hardie, 2018 Women's Indoor 1,000-Meter Run Champion
2018 Indoor Women's Distance Medley Relay (Nell Crosby, Betty Jackson, Bianca Alonzo, Sarah Hardie)
Jonathan Suckow, 2018 Men's Diving 1M Champion
Jonathan Suckow, 2018 Men's Diving 3M Champion
Brian Zabilski, 2018 Men's Outdoor 10,000-Meter Run Champion
Ryan Thomas, 2018 Men's Outdoor 5,000-Meter Run Champion
2018 Outdoor Men's 4x800-meter relay (Jackson Stoney, Sam Ritz, Josiah Langstaff, Alek Sauer)
Nell Crosby, 2018 Women's Outdoor 3,000-Meter Steeplechase Champion
Sarah Hardie, 2018 Women's Outdoor 1,500-Meter Run Champion
Lightweight rowing Varsity 8 boat, Ivy League Champion
 
EIWA Champions
Markus Scheidel, 2018 EIWA 157-pound Champion