CLEVELAND – The University of Denver finished as the top I-AAA school in the overall LEARFIELD Directors' Cup standings for the 11^th-straight year and the 15^th time in the last 16 tries, NACDA released in conjunction with its final overall standings on June 26. Denver finished No. 46 in the standings with a combined point total of 527.75 points, its most points since scoring 529.25 in 2018.  The Pioneers ranking in the national standings was their best since ranking No. 35 in the 2016-17 academic year.

On July 10, Denver received the I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, its first since the organization re-organized the I-AAA scoring after the Pioneers claimed their 12th trophy in 13 years in 2020-21. The I-AAA rankings do not credit points for Denver's overall Directors' Cup success in gymnastics, hockey and skiing. 
 
In addition to its top finish among athletic programs that do not sponsor football, the DU finished third in the standings amongst schools that are outside the FBS, trailing only Harvard (No. 29) and Princeton (No. 34) in the category, and ahead of 25 Power-5 programs including Four Corners-region schools in Utah (No. 47) and Arizona (No. 48).
 
Denver ended as the highest-ranked school in the state of Colorado (ahead of Colorado at No. 59, Air Force at No. 76 and Colorado State at No. 91, among others). Among The Summit League schools, DU again topped the field with South Dakota State as the next closest at No. 84.
 
"I am so proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff for further sustaining elite-level athletic success for the Pioneers," Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Ritchie Center Operations Josh Berlo said. "To comprehensively excel by bringing home 14 conference championship trophies, have nine programs proudly representing our University in NCAA Championships and to have five of those programs advance in the NCAA Tournament continues to showcase the success we're capable of on a national level. This is proof positive of the exceptional culture and tradition inside DU Athletics. We will keep raising the bar in the Ritchie Center to continue to foster our tradition of broad-based excellence."
 
In addition to the nine NCAA tournament appearances and 11 programs that combined for 14 conference championships, the Pioneers produced 105 all-conference picks, 22 All-Americans and nine conference coaches of the year. Denver finished 2023-24 with a 46-23 record against the Power-5, the most wins in program history and just the second season of 40-plus Power-5 wins. In the Mile High City, Denver's programs combined to go 109-22-8 in its home venues, its fewest losses since going 84-21-6 in 2012-13.
 
Men's soccer got Denver on the board in the fall with its third trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in as many seasons to earn 50 points for the Pioneers, slotting DU in at No. 117 in the Directors' Cup standings through the first stage of the athletic calendar.
 
Denver's winter was highlighted by the hockey program's NCAA-record 10^th National Championship in 2024, breaking the tie previously shared with Michigan. The Pioneers used three-consecutive 2-1 wins to begin the tournament before posting a 2-0 victory in the national title game against No. 1 Boston College to earn 100 points in the Directors' Cup standings.
 
The Pioneers' skiing program earned 85 points for its third-place finish at NCAAs while women's gymnastics' trip back to the regional final earned the athletic department 66.75 points to round out the winter with 251.75 combined points and move the Pioneers up to No. 51 in the Directors' Cup standings.
 
The Pioneers had five different programs earn points in the spring to move up to its final spot at No. 46. Denver men's lacrosse punched its ticket to Championship Weekend for its sixth time in program history to earn 83 points. Following its historic trip to Championship Weekend a year ago, Denver women's lacrosse advanced to the NCAA Second Round for its eighth-consecutive appearance to tally 53 points. The Pioneers women's golf program earned 40 points, and the men's and women's tennis teams recorded 25 points apiece with their trips to the NCAA first round.
 
The LEARFIELD 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.
 

Denver's Directors' Cup History

(Years as highest I-AAA finisher in overall standings in bold)

2024 – Denver (46 – 527.75)
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)
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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