Hattiesburg, Miss.- the William Carey University athletic department was recently recognized as one of the Top 5 athletic departments in the NAIA for the 2024-2025 season.
 
For the second year in a row, WCU posted a Top 5 finish in the Learfield Cup Standings for the NAIA division. This comes on the heels of being named the top athletic program in the Southern States Athletic Conference for the ninth consecutive year. This is the fourth top 5 finish for the Crusaders, paired with last years 5^th place finish. The highest finish for WCU came in 2018-2019 when Carey finished second overall in the Learfield standings.
 
The Crusaders finished with 206.00 points for fall sports, up from 184.00 points last year. Men's soccer led the way with a 3^rd place finish accumulating 83.00 total points. Women's soccer followed with a 5^th place finish tallying 73.00 points. Volleyball totaled 50.00 points to round out the fall sports.
 
Winter sports totaled 283.50 points led by Men's Swimming and Men's Indoor Track and Field with 6^th and 7^th place finishes, both worthy of 72.00 points each. Women's Indoor Track and Field posted an 11^th place finish totaling 64.50 points while Women's Basketball chipped in 50.00 points with a 17^th place finish. Men's Basketball is one of the mandatory sports to count toward the final tally, and WCU picked up 25.00 points with a 33^rd place finish in the NAIA.
 
The Spring once again launched the Crusaders into a 5^th place finish for the year. Carey picked up 342.50 total points for spring sports. Men's and Women's Track and Field both placed 3^rd overall earning 85.00 points each. Women's Golf followed with a 6^th place finish, good for 70.50 points. Women's Tennis finished 9^th overall, bringing in 45.00 points. Men's Golf rounded out the spring scoring with an 11^th place finish and 57.00 total points.
 
About Learfield: Learfield is the media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield's presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors' Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.