Texas Athletics claims 2025-26 Division I Learfield Directors’ Cup

AUSTIN, Texas — On the strength of four National Championships — three NCAA Championships and the ITA Men's National Indoor Team title — and 11 NCAA top-five finishes, The University of Texas has won the Learfield Directors' Cup for the third-straight year and the fifth time in the last six years, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced Thursday. During the current 2025-26 season, the Longhorns amassed 1,322.00 points, while Stanford placed second with 1,263.50 points.

The Longhorn have won the last three Cups and only a runner-up finish in 2022-23 separated Texas from a run of six-straight titles. UT snapped Stanford's 25-year stronghold on the Directors' Cup during the 2020-21 season by scoring 1,252 points, while the Cardinal posted 1,195.75 points. That victory ended an impressive run by Stanford that began in 1994-95 and went through 2018-19 (no Cup was awarded in 2019-20 due to COVID-19). North Carolina won the first Cup in 1993-94. The Longhorns finished second in the standings three times during the Cardinal's 25-year run, earning runner-up honors in 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2004-05.

During the 2021-22 season, the Longhorns amassed 1,449.50 points to claim the Cup again, while Stanford placed second with 1,352.25 points. UT joined the Cardinal as the nation's only programs to win it in back-to-back years.

Texas finished runner-up in the Cup standings to Stanford during the 2022-23 season. The Cardinal won the Cup with 1,412.00 points, while the Longhorns posted 1,370.50 points. The Longhorns reclaimed the Cup during the 2023-24 season, as UT amassed 1,377.00 points while Stanford placed second with 1,312.75 points. Texas won the Cup again in 2024-25 with 1,255.25 points, while USC claimed second with 1,235.75 points.

During the 2025-26 season, Texas registered NCAA team titles in Men's Swimming and Diving, Rowing and Softball, which marks the sixth-straight year the Longhorns have won multiple national titles in the same academic season. The Longhorns won four total National Championships during the year, as Men's Tennis claimed the ITA National Indoor title. The six-straight seasons with multiple national titles match the longest such streak in UT history, having previously accomplished that in 1985-86 through 1990-91. Excluding the COVID-shortened year of 2019-20, Texas has won at least one NCAA team title in 11-straight seasons. The 11-straight seasons with a title also tie the best stretch on Longhorn record, equaling the mark set in 1980-81 through 1990-91.

Over the last six years, the Longhorns have won 17 National Team Championships (16 NCAA/1 ITA Men's National Team Indoor Championship) by eight different programs, while eight additional programs have either made the Final Four or finished in the top three at the NCAA Championships. Texas sponsors 21 intercollegiate sport programs, and 15 of those 21 programs have claimed a National Championship. The Longhorns have captured 72 all-time National Championships (67 NCAA titles).

Texas produced 11 top-five and 13 top-10 team finishes at the NCAA Championships during the recent academic year. The 11 top-five performances marked the second-most in school history, trailing only the 12 recorded in 2021-22. The 13 top-10 efforts tied for the second-most in school history, just one shy of the record 14 in 2021-22. The Longhorns have registered a total of 60 top-five and 78 top-10 NCAA team finishes during the last six years.

In addition to the three NCAA National Championship performances, the Longhorns recorded NCAA top-five team showings in Men's Tennis (second/NCAA Runner-up), Women's Swimming and Diving (third), Women's Basketball (tied for third/NCAA Semifinals), Beach Volleyball (tied for third/NCAA Semifinals), Volleyball (tied for fifth/NCAA Quarterfinals), Women's Golf (tied for fifth/NCAA Quarterfinals), Men's Golf (tied for fifth/NCAA Quarterfinals) and Baseball (tied for fifth/1-2 at the College World Series). Texas added NCAA top-10 finishes in Men's Basketball (tied for ninth/NCAA Round of 16) and Women's Tennis (tied for ninth/NCAA Round of 16), while Football was No. 13 in the final USA Today/AFCA Coaches poll. Women's Outdoor Track and Field added a tie for 20th at the NCAA Championship and Men's Indoor Track and Field tied for 24th at the NCAA Championship.

The Longhorns qualified 18 of their 21 NCAA eligible sports for their respective NCAA Championship events. Texas was the ONLY school in NCAA Division I to have its Men's and Women's Basketball teams both reach the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament AND its Baseball and Softball teams both reach the Men's and Women's College World Series.

Texas' success extended to the conference level as well as the Longhorns earned a league-best six Southeastern Conference titles during the 2025-26 season: Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Basketball (tournament), Men's Tennis (regular season and tournament) and Softball (tournament). Texas has claimed a total of 14 SEC titles during its first two seasons in the league; double the amount of its next-closest competitor as Arkansas and Florida each have seven conference crowns in the last two years. With Beach Volleyball also winning the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) tournament title (2026), the Longhorns won a total of seven conference championships in 2025-26, and their 2025 Coastal Collegiate Sports Association crown makes it 16 conference championships for Texas during the past two years. The Longhorn have now claimed 670 all-time league titles in school history.

Since UT Vice President and Lois and Richard Folger Athletics Director Chris Del Conte arrived on the Forty Acres in December 2017, the Longhorns have claimed a total of 19 National Championships (18 NCAA/1 ITA Men's National Team Indoor Championship), 34 NCAA top-two finishes, 70 NCAA top-five finishes, 98 NCAA top-10 finishes and 89 total conference championships. Texas also has reached two CFP Semifinals and claimed five Learfield Directors' Cup crowns.

The Learfield Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between NACDA and USA Today. A revised scoring system was implemented for the 2024-25 season. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in NCAA Championships. Division I schools can score points in a maximum of 19 sports, five of which must be baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's soccer and women's volleyball.

Texas recorded its eighth-straight top-five Director's Cup finish after a fifth-place showing in 2017-18 and a fourth-place effort in 2018-19. There was no award in 2019-20 due to COVID-19. UT also was the top-ranked institution in the Southeastern Conference in the Directors' Cup standings and has been the top-ranked school in its respective league (SEC, Big 12 or Southwest Conference) for 12 consecutive years and 25 times in the 33-year history of the Directors' Cup.

Texas has now recorded a top-10 finish a total of 26 times in the 33-year history of the Directors' Cup: 1st (2020-21, 2021-22, 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26), 2nd (2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05 and 2022-23), 3rd (2005-06), 4th (1995-96 and 2018-19), 5th (2007-08 and 2017-18), 6th (2008-09, 2011-12 and 2013-14), 7th (1993-94, 1996-97 and 2016-17), 8th (2006-07), 9th (1999-2000, 2014-15 and 2015-16) and 10th (1994-95 and 2003-04).

2025-26 Division I Learfield Directors' Cup Final Standings (Top 5 schools)

Rank	School	Total Points
1.	TEXAS	1,322.00
2.	Stanford	1,263.50
3.	UCLA	1,199.25
4.	North Carolina	1,166.75
5.	Virginia	1,148.75

Texas in the Division I Learfield Directors' Cup Final Standings

Year	Finish
2025-26	1^st
2024-25	1^st
2023-24	1^st
2022-23	2^nd
2021-22	1^st
2020-21	1^st
2019-20	n/a (no standings due to COVID-19)
2018-19	4^th
2017-18	5^th
2016-17	7^th
2015-16	9^th
2014-15	9^th
2013-14	6^th
2012-13	13^th
2011-12	6^th
2010-11	12^th
2009-10	15^th
2008-09	6^th
2007-08	5^th
2006-07	8^th
2005-06	3^rd
2004-05	2^nd
2003-04	10^th
2002-03	2^nd
2001-02	2^nd
2000-01	19^th
1999-2000	9^th
1998-99	11^th
1997-98	Tie 15^th
1996-97	7^th
1995-96	4^th
1994-95	10^th
1993-94	7^th

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics

Texas Athletics claims 2025-26 Division I Learfield Directors’ Cup

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