N E W S R E L E A S E Contact: Dennis Collins, Executive Director Phone: (216) 871-8100 Fax: (216) 871-4221 E-mail: ncacoffice@aol.com Edited: May 13, 1998 NCAC All-Sports Report Denison claims second All-Sports title; Fourth school to win in last five years CLEVELAND -- Denison posted top-four finishes in 18 of 22 sports on the way to its second North Coast Athletic Conference All-Sports championship. The Big Red built a 1.5-point advantage after the winter season and finished strong with one championship and three second-place finishes in the spring to total 149.5 points and break the previous scoring record of 146 set by Wittenberg in 1995-96. Denison's previous All-Sports title came in 1985-86. Defending champion Wooster earned second place with 138 points, followed closely by Kenyon (126) in third, Wittenberg (125.5) in fourth, Allegheny (123) in fifth and Ohio Wesleyan (121.5) in sixth. Case Western Reserve (79.5), Oberlin (62.5) and Earlham (39.5) complete the standings in positions seven through nine. Denison's championship campaign featured three NCAC titles (women's soccer, women's indoor track & field and men's tennis) and eight second-place finishes. The Big Red improved their standing in 13 sports and added 31.5 points to their total from a year ago -- the largest point increase in a non- expansion season in conference history. Allegheny and Wooster won or shared five North Coast championships, while CWRU (+13) joined Denison in making a double-digit scoring jump. The All-Sports award is given annually to the school that performs the best across the NCAC's 22 sports. Nine points are awarded for a first-place finish, eight for a second, seven for a third, and so on. Men's and women's performances are combined, exemplifying the North Coast's commitment to equity and balance among programs. Wooster won three of the first four All-Sports championships, interrupted only by Denison in year two. Ohio Wesleyan followed with a six-year run leading to titles by Wooster (twice), Wittenberg and Denison over the past four seasons. Allegheny leads the way with 64 team championships in 15 different sports during the NCAC's 14 playing seasons. Ohio Wesleyan is next with 62 titles, followed by Kenyon (54), Denison (50) and Wooster (40). NORTH COAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE Final 1997-98 All-Sports Standings   School Points 1. Denison University 149.5 2. College of Wooster 138.0 3. Kenyon College 126.0 4. Wittenberg University 125.5 5. Allegheny College 123.0 6. Ohio Wesleyan University 121.5 7. Case Western Reserve University 79.5 8. Oberlin College 62.5 9. Earlham College 39.5