It’s only for bragging rights, but it does matter for the chest thumpers. The Learfield Directors’ Cup honors institutions maintaining a broad-based program and achieving success in their NCAA sports programs. In other words, be the best across all sports based on score-driven metrics.
Ohio State has historically finished high in the Directors’ Cup standings, but never in first place. This year, that honor goes to the Texas athletic department for the 2924-2025 athletic calendar. The Longhorns won in a tight race with new Big Ten member USC, surpassing the Trojans by less than two points. Texas finished with 1,255.25 points to USC’s 1,253.75. The Buckeyes again had a strong showing, finishing in eighth place with a total score of 1,032.25.
The rest of the top ten consisted of perennial athletic power Stanford in third place (1,251.00 points), followed by North Carolina (4), UCLA (5), Tennessee (6), Florida (7), Oklahoma (9), and Duke (9).
It’s not all sports that count. In fact, there are five scoreable sports that include women’s soccer, volleyball, and basketball, and men’s basketball and baseball – and 14 additional NCAA sports for a total of 19 sports counted toward the final point totals. Ohio State had 19 sports programs score points this year.
According to a release from Ohio State, OSU’s 10 women’s teams to make an NCAA field and contribute points include the fall sports of soccer (9th place, overall) and cross country (32nd), the winter sports of hockey (2nd), swimming and diving (14th), basketball (17th) and gymnastics (17th), and the spring sports of tennis (9th), softball (17th), track and field (22nd) and golf (24th).
The eight Ohio State men’s NCAA (and CFP) teams were football (1st) and soccer (3rd) in the fall, the winter sports of wrestling (5th), gymnastics (7th), hockey (9th) and swimming and diving (16th), and the spring sports of lacrosse (9th) and tennis (9th).
Ohio State has never won the Cup but has finished 2nd three times, 3rd twice, 4th three times, and in the top ten seven more times).
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State finishes high in the Learfield Directors’ Cup standings
Reporting by Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
