Learfield Directors' Cup final 2025 Division I standings revealed

Texas won the 2024-25 Learfield Directors’ Cup Division I title as the top-ranking team in the final standings released Thursday by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. The award is annually given to the colleges and universities in the United States with the most success in collegiate athletics.

The NACDA examines a school’s collective athletic success, pulling from 19 of its different athletic programs and scoring them. Women’s Basketball, soccer, volleyball, men’s basketball and baseball each must be included as five of the 19 programs represented for all schools.

Texas has now won the award four times. USC finished in second place while Stanford came in third. To check out which schools finished in the Top 25, look below.

1. Texas (1,255.25)

Texas’ cumulative score of 1,255.25 couldn’t be topped this year. The school reeled in national championships in men’s swimming and diving and softball. Additionally, the Longhorns racked up five third-place finishes (football, women’s basketball, women’s swimming and diving, women’s rowing and men’s tennis).

Texas put up points in each of the five sports that all schools are evaluated on. Moreover, the school put up points in the 14 other evaluated sports.

2. USC (1,253.75)

USC trailed just behind Texas in the final rankings. The school finished with 1,253.75 points compared to Texas’ 1,255.25.

The school’s national titles in men’s indoor track and field and men’s outdoor track and field helped it compete for the No. 1 spot. Alas, the school failed to score in one of the five main sports, ultimately missing out on some key points.

3. Stanford (1,251.00)

Stanford didn’t necessarily win as many championships as USC or Texas, but it was competitive in almost every sport. The Cardinal had 14 Top 10 finishes among the 16 total sports in which they scored.

In fairness, they did secure two titles, one in women’s rowing and the other in women’s water polo. Stanford finished with 1,251.0 points, just four points shy of the top spot.

4. North Carolina (1,195.25)

North Carolina was the second ACC team to finish in the top five, and it earned its spot. UNC won national titles in women’s soccer and women’s lacrosse.

To pile on, the Tar Heels also scored in all five required sports. UNC fans had plenty to cheer for this past year in Chapel Hill.

5. UCLA (1,149.00)

UCLA posted 1,149.0 total points in the competition, almost 100 points fewer than Texas’ total. However, the Bruins have nothing to hang their heads about.

UCLA had a massively successful year, winning a national championship in men’s water polo. Further, the school had a pair of runner-up finishes in women’s gymnastics and men’s volleyball.

6. Tennessee (1,078.00)

For the third consecutive season, Tennessee placed in the top 10 in the Learfield Directors’ Cup. This year, all 20 sports at Tennessee reached their respective postseasons for just the second time in school history.

In total, Tennessee had five sports post top-five finishes. No Tennessee program outperformed softball, which made a run to the NCAA Tournament semifinals.

7. Florida (1,072.00)

Florida is the only program to finish among the nation’s Top 10 in each of the last 41 national all-sports standings. This year, Florida men’s basketball stole the spotlight, winning its third national title in program history.

Alas, the MBB program was far from Florida’s only successful team this past year. Florida had nine programs finish in the nation’s top 10 for their respective sports.

8. Ohio State (1,032.25)

All 19 of Ohio State’s sports scored points in the competition, an obvious recipe for a high final ranking. No program outshone Ohio State’s football team, which captured its first national championship since 2014.

Of course, other Ohio State programs deserve recognition as well. Ohio State’s women’s hockey team was the national runner-up and the school’s men’s soccer team finished third nationally.

9. Oklahoma (1,017.20)

A ninth-place finish isn’t a bad way to cap off your first year in the SEC. Oklahoma adapted to its new environment masterfully this past year.

Oklahoma’s women’s gymnastics team was a standout, earning 100 points by winning its seventh national title and third in the last four years. The school’s men’s gymnastics team did its part too, finishing third in the country.

10. Duke (1,010.00)

Duke rounded out the top 10 this year. The Blue Devils scored some serious points in women’s lacrosse and women’s tennis for finishing fifth in the country in both.

Not to mention, Duke’s men’s basketball team was one of the best in the nation this past season, and made an electrifying run to the Final Four. Duke’s baseball team also had a notable campaign, reaching the College World Series.

11. Arkansas
12. Virginia
13. Michigan
14. Georgia
15. Texas A&M
16. Penn State
17. LSU
18. Oregon
19. Auburn
20. NC State
21. Nebraska
22. Alabama
23. South Carolina
24. California
25. BYU

The Learfield Directors’ Cup final rankings don’t stop there either. Here’s a link to check out how the entire field fared in the fierce competition.