Big winters are helping Notre Dame College and Lake Erie College surge into the top half of the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings.

Following its NCAA wrestling triumph, NDC moved to 55th out of 194 Division II schools in standings released March 20. The Falcons have 150 points, with 100 coming via the wrestling title.

The Storm are five spots behind the Falcons in 60th place with 142.5 points. Balance has led to LEC's fast rise. The Storm finished ninth in indoor men's track and field, 24th in men's swimming and 25th in wrestling.

NDC produced five wrestling All-Americans, including four champions, last weekend. LEC produced six All-Americans last weekend, with the track, swimming and wrestling teams each producing two.

Grand Valley State (Mich.), which competes against LEC in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, leads Division II with 718 points. Ashland leads Ohio schools in fourth place with 395.5 points. Grand Valley State, Ashland and LEC are three of 11 GLIAC schools in the top 100.

Points in Division II are awarded based on NCAA finishes in up to 14 sports -- seven men's and seven women's. Final winter standings will be released April 3.

Mount Union leads Ohio in the 234-school Division III standings. The Purple Raiders are in ninth place with 334.5 points. Williams (Mass.) leads the Division III standings with 513.25 points. Baldwin Wallace and John Carroll are 78th and 131st, respectively.

Mount Union received a boost from its men's indoor track and field team, which placed fifth last weekend. Willoughby South grad Sean Donnelly won the weight throw for the Purple Raiders.

Points in Division III are awarded based on NCAA finishes in up to 18 sports -- nine men's and nine women's.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy