AUSTIN, Texas—On the strength of two National Championships and three NCAA runner-up finishes, The University of Texas has won the LEARFIELD Directors' Cup for the third time in the last four years, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced Wednesday morning, along with releasing the finalized point totals. During the 2023-24 season, the Longhorns amassed 1,377.00 points to win the Cup while Stanford finished in second place at 1,312.75 points.
Texas registered NCAA team titles in Volleyball and Rowing during the 2023-24 season. The titles marked back-to-back NCAA Championships for Volleyball and the third national crown in the last four years for Rowing. This marks the fourth-straight year that Texas has won multiple national titles in the same academic season, and the Longhorns have now captured 66 all-time National Championships (62 NCAA titles).
Texas also claimed NCAA runner-up team showings in Women's Swimming and Diving, Men's Tennis and Softball. The five top-two NCAA team finishes tied for the second-most in a season in school history (1988-89), behind the record 10 set in 2021-22. UT has now recorded a total of 23 top-two NCAA team finishes in the last four years.
Texas produced eight top-five and 12 top-10 team finishes at the NCAA Championships during the recent academic year. The Longhorns have registered a total of 39 top-five NCAA team finishes and 52 top-10 NCAA team finishes during the last four years.
In addition to the five top-two NCAA performances, the Longhorns recorded NCAA top-10 team showings in Women's Outdoor Track and Field (third), Football (tied for third in the College Football Playoff), Women's Basketball (tied for fifth), Men's Cross Country (seventh), Men's Swimming and Diving (seventh), Soccer (tied for ninth) and Women's Tennis (tied for ninth). UT added NCAA top-25 performances in Women's Golf (tied for 11th), Men's Outdoor Track and Field (12th), Women's Indoor Track and Field (13th), Men's Golf (13th), Men's Basketball (tied for 17th) and Men's Indoor Track and Field (19th). Baseball tied for 33rd with its finish in NCAA Regional play.
The Longhorns qualified 19 of their 20 NCAA eligible sports for their respective NCAA Championship events. Texas was one of just three Power-5 programs (joining Tennessee and Texas A&M) to reach the NCAA postseason/bowl game in Football, Volleyball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Baseball and Softball.
In addition to its success on the national level, UT earned a record 15 Big 12 Conference titles during the 2023-24 season: Soccer (tournament), Volleyball, Football, Women's Indoor Track and Field, Men's Swimming and Diving, Women's Swimming and Diving, Women's Basketball (tournament), Men's Tennis (regular season and tournament), Women's Golf, Men's Golf, Softball, Men's Outdoor Track and Field, Women's Outdoor Track and Field and Rowing. The 15 Big 12 titles topped UT's previous record of 13 set in both 2020-21 and 2005-06. The 15 league crowns also marked the most conference titles won by a Power-5 school this year by a wide margin, as North Carolina (ACC) and Stanford (Pac-12) both claimed nine league championships.
Texas is the only Big 12 Conference member institution to have claimed at least 12 league championships in a single calendar year and has now accomplished the feat a total of seven times: 15 in 2023-24, 13 in 2020-21, 13 in 2005-06, 12 in 2022-23, 12 in 2002-03, 12 in 2001-02 and 12 in 1998-99. UT has captured a league-best 232 all-time Big 12 Championships (62 regular season and 170 postseason) through the completion of the 2023-24 season.
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 12 National Championships, 27 NCAA top-two finishes, 47 NCAA top-five finishes, 69 NCAA top-10 finishes and 73 Big 12 Conference Championships. Texas also has registered four Football bowl victories and reached one CFP Semifinal, claimed three LEARFIELD Directors' Cup crowns and posted five top-five Directors' Cup finishes.
The LEARFIELD Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between NACDA and USA Today. A revised scoring system was implemented for the 2017-18 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, four of which must be baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball and women's volleyball.
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 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 recorded its sixth-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 Big 12 Conference in the Directors' Cup standings for the 10th-consecutive year and has been the top-ranked school in its respective league (Big 12 or Southwest Conference) 23 times in the 31-year history of the Directors' Cup.
Texas has now recorded a top-10 finish a total of 24 times in the 31-year history of the Directors' Cup: 1st (2020-21, 2021-22 and 2023-24), 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).
2023-24 Division I LEARFIELD Directors' Cup Standings – FINAL (top 10 schools)
Rank | School | Total Points |
1. | TEXAS | 1,377.00 |
2. | Stanford | 1,312.75 |
3. | Tennessee | 1,217.00 |
4. | Florida | 1,189.00 |
5. | Virginia | 1,066.25 |
6. | Texas A&M | 1,059.25 |
7. | North Carolina | 1,035.75 |
8. | Alabama | 1,028.88 |
9. | UCLA | 1,017.50 |
10. | Notre Dame | 1,008.50 |
Texas in the Division I LEARFIELD Directors' Cup Final Standings
Year | Finish |
2023-24 | 1st |
2022-23 | 2nd |
2021-22 | 1st |
2020-21 | 1st |
2019-20 | n/a (no standings due to COVID-19) |
2018-19 | 4th |
2017-18 | 5th |
2016-17 | 7th |
2015-16 | 9th |
2014-15 | 9th |
2013-14 | 6th |
2012-13 | 13th |
2011-12 | 6th |
2010-11 | 12th |
2009-10 | 15th |
2008-09 | 6th |
2007-08 | 5th |
2006-07 | 8th |
2005-06 | 3rd |
2004-05 | 2nd |
2003-04 | 10th |
2002-03 | 2nd |
2001-02 | 2nd |
2000-01 | 19th |
1999-2000 | 9th |
1998-99 | 11th |
1997-98 | Tie 15th |
1996-97 | 7th |
1995-96 | 4th |
1994-95 | 10th |
1993-94 | 7th |
2023-24 Division I LEARFIELD Directors' Cup Final Standings (Big 12 Conference only)
Rank | School | Total Points |
1. | TEXAS | 1,377.00 |
19. | Oklahoma State | 896.00 |
24. | Oklahoma | 805.75 |
35. | Iowa State | 649.50 |
36. | BYU | 637.50 |
43. | Baylor | 538.50 |
45. | Texas Tech | 533.75 |
51. | West Virginia | 496.00 |
58. | Houston | 409.50 |
62. | Kansas | 400.25 |
69. | TCU | 352.50 |
82. | UCF | 271.50 |
96. | Kansas State | 197.00 |
259. | Cincinnati | 29.00 |
Print Friendly Version
