CLEVELAND – The University of Denver finished as the top I-AAA school in the overall Directors' Cup standings for the 10th-straight year and the 14th time in the last 15 tries, NACDA released in conjunction with its final overall standings on Wednesday. Denver finished 63rd in the overall standings with a combined point total of 373.25 points.
In addition to its top finish among athletic programs that do not sponsor football, Denver finished fourth in the overall standings amongst schools that are outside the FBS.
"We continue to be immensely proud of the broad-based success the University of Denver athletic programs achieve annually," Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Ritchie Center Operations Josh Berlo said. "Moreover, we are immensely proud of the student-athletes in those programs who represent the University at the highest levels academically, socially and competitively across the country. This tradition of success we have at DU is seen in the healthy but competitive relationship between our programs. They concurrently motivate and support each other with vigor."
Men's soccer got Denver on the board in the fall with its second trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in as many seasons to earn 50 points for the Pioneers.
Skiing and women's gymnastics highlighted the winter slate for Denver. In Lake Placid, the Denver skiing program finished third at the 2023 NCAA Championships to earn 85 points. Following its second NCAA Regional Championship in the last four attempts and in-front of an energetic crowd at Magness Arena, the Denver gymnastics program earned 71.3 points with its trip to the NCAA National Championships. Denver hockey rounded out the winter scoring with 25 points for making its trip to the NCAA tournament after winning the Penrose Cup for the second-consecutive year as an NCHC regular-season champion.
A 22-game unbeaten run to start the season and the women's lacrosse program's first trip to Championship Weekend highlighted the Pioneers' spring season. DU women's lacrosse earned home NCAA tournament wins against USC and Albany before defeating No. 4 North Carolina in Chapel Hill in the national quarterfinals to earn 83 points. Women's golf (34) and women's tennis (25) rounded out Denver's scoring for a 142-point spring.
The Learfield Sports Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 19 sports – four of which must be men's and women's basketball, baseball and volleyball.
Academically, Denver's athletic programs combined for a 94% graduation success rate, and the men's and women's soccer programs finished in the top five in the country in grade point average for the second-consecutive year. Denver combined for 11 conference championships across nine different programs and combined for eight national championship appearances. Denver's student-athletes combined to win 22 All-America honors and 100 all-conference selections.
Denver's Directors' Cup History (Years as highest I-AAA finisher in overall standings in bold)
2023 – Denver (63– 373.25)
2022 – Denver (59 – 417.75)
2021 – Denver (51 - 408.25)
2020 – Not awarded
2019 – Denver (52 – 484.00)
2018 - Denver (47 - 529.25)
2017 - Denver (35 - 634.25) - highest all-time finish
2016 - Denver (52 - 433.00)
2015 - Denver (49 - 508.75)
2014 - Denver (43 - 519.25)
2013 - Denver (55 - 425.50)
2012 - Pepperdine (Denver - 85 - 227.50)
2011 - Denver (54 - 384.50)
2010 - Denver (65 - 306.80)
2009 - Denver (54 - 396.50)
2008 - Denver (47 - 434.25)
2007 - 74 - 267.25
2006 - Not in top-100
2005 - 68 - 250.50
2004 - 59 - 333.75
2003 - 75 - 214.75
2002 - 75 - 241.00
2001 - 87 - 180.00
2000 - Not in top-100
1999 - 74 - 110.00
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