The final tally for the 2025-26 Learfield Directors’ Cup has been released and both Iowa and Iowa State saw improved finishes and increased point totals compared to the previous academic year.
Iowa finished 37th overall and recorded its highest point total in school history, amassing 662 points. Meanwhile, Iowa State accumulated 600.75 points and finished in 43rd.
There are a total of 361 Division I schools in the country and 299 schools successfully recorded points for the Directors’ Cup standings during the 2025-26 school year. Points are awarded for a school’s postseason finish in each sport throughout the academic year. Based on where a team finishes in the postseason nationally, it may earn additional points. For example, a national championship-winning team will earn 100 points for its school in the Directors’ Cup. The competition is meant to measure widespread success in athletics.
Texas won the 2025-26 Directors’ Cup with 1,322 total points. The Longhorns won national championships in men’s swimming and diving, women’s rowing and softball. Stanford (1,263 points), UCLA (1,199.25), North Carolina (1,166.75) and Virginia (1,148.75) rounded out the rest of the top five.
In their respective conferences, Iowa finished 12th among 18 Big Ten teams. UCLA (third), USC (seventh), Michigan (ninth), Ohio State (10th), Nebraska (17th), Penn State (21st), Oregon (23rd), Wisconsin (24th), Washington (30th), Illinois (31st), and Minnesota (32nd) finished ahead of Iowa.
Meanwhile, Northwestern (46th), Indiana (47th), Michigan State (52nd), Purdue (62nd), Maryland (71st) and Rutgers (93rd) were behind the Hawkeyes.
In the Big 12, Iowa State finished seventh out of 16 teams. BYU (25th) led the conference, followed by Oklahoma State (28th), TCU (33rd), Texas Tech (35th), Arizona (36th), Arizona State (38th), Iowa State, Kansas (49th), Baylor (T-50th), West Virginia (T-50th), Colorado (53rd), UCF (60th), Utah (63rd), Kansas State (70th), Houston (88th) and Cincinnati (91st) rounding out the conference.
Both the Hawkeyes and Cyclones improved from their previous finishes. In 2024-25, Iowa State finished in 56th with 466.5 points, while Iowa was not far behind in 59th with 433.5 points.
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: See where Iowa, Iowa State finished in 2025-26 Directors Cup standings
Reporting by Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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By Eugene Rapay, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
