In their most recent issue, Forbes Magazine named Madison the third best college sports town in the nation.

Madison lost to both Ann Arbor, Mich., home of the University of Michigan, and Palo Alto, Calif., home to Stanford University.

Several factors were taken into account when completing this list, including the University of Wisconsin‘s rank at number 18 in the Directors’ Cup, an award granted by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics to schools based on their performance in every sport, the Forbes article noted.

Madison also ranked seventh in Forbes “affordability” category due to the relatively low cost of the average four-bedroom home and the median income of $50,852. The city ranked 13th in both crime rate and quality of education, further contributing to the city’s high rank.

Forbes also attributed the high ranking to Madison’s capital and party-city reputation, going on to call Madison “one of the Midwest’s best college towns.”

According to Dane County Supervisor Brett Hulsey, District 4, a self-proclaimed sports aficionado, the city of Madison deserved to be higher in the rankings.

“We are so much better than Michigan and Stanford; I’ve been to those places and they just don’t compare, especially in sports,” Hulsey said. “The Michigan football team and the Stanford football team? Come on.”

Hulsey also argued that the Wisconsin basketball and hockey teams should have put Madison higher on the list as well.

“They don’t even really have ice hockey at Stanford; all they have at Stanford is iced tea,” Hulsey said.

Hulsey added Forbes should have also considered that Madison is home of one of the “hottest” Iron Man venues in the world, which he says should boost their ranking to No. 1.

Husley also said the rankings may help reverse the decrease in applications UW has seen this semester, adding though Madison ranked third in sports, he thinks Madison is overall the best college town.

“I have been in Ann Arbor and they have a river, but they don’t have a lake so they don’t compare,” Husley said. “Palo Alto is nothing but traffic, so I still think we’re the best.”

Dane County Supervisor Wyndham Manning, District 5, voiced excitement for Madison‘s high ranking as well.

Manning said he was attracted to Madison himself based on UW’s nationally recognized sports and extracurricular opportunities.

Manning added a good sports reputation attracts a vast amount of out-of-state applicants to UW and is a significant economic driver for the state.

“Now that we have moved from some of the more negative … ratings as largest party school back to what put us there in the first place — our incredible athletics and extracurricular activities we can again feel no hesitation in bragging about our reputation of working hard and playing hard,” Manning said. “Obviously I wish we were No. 1, but then we don’t want everyone in on the secret, do we?”