CLEVELAND – The University of Denver athletic department finished as the top I-AAA school in the overall LEARFIELD Directors' Cup standings for the 13^th-straight year and the 17^th time in the last 18 tries, NACDA released in conjunction with its final overall standings on June 24. Denver finished No. 66 in the standings with a combined point total of 383.50.

In addition to its top finish among athletic programs that do not sponsor football, DU finished fourth in the standings amongst schools that are outside the FBS, trailing only Princeton (No. 20), Yale (No. 45) and Harvard (No. 48) in the category. Denver also finished ahead of eight Power-4 programs, three from the Big 12, three from the ACC, two from the Big Ten.
  
Denver opened the fall season with 50 points off the men's soccer program's run to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling on penalties at No. 8 Portland.
 
The Pioneers then moved up to 60^th nationally through the winter portion of the academic year. Denver hockey's NCAA-record 11^th national championship claimed a perfect 100 points, while the skiing program earned 85 for its third-place finish at the championships. DU gymnastics earned 45.5 courtesy of its trip to the second round of the NCAA Regionals.
 
Denver added 100 more points in the spring campaign. The Pioneers women's lacrosse program backed up its pair of BIG EAST championships this spring with an NCAA First Round win over Florida in Boulder, banking 50 points for the Crimson and Gold in the Directors' Cup standings. Denver's men's and women's tennis programs earned 25 points apiece for their trips to the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
 
In addition to seven NCAA Tournament appearances, the Pioneers claimed 12 conference trophies from eight different programs in nine of Denver's teams last season in the Summit League. Denver also had nine All-Americans, 106 all-conference selections and five conference coaches of the year.
 
Denver finished with a record of 106-37-1 in home events, 27 wins against programs from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC. The Pioneers appeared on national linear tv 12 times, played 50 events on ESPN+ and 21 regional sports networks.
 
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) 
2026 – Denver (66 – 383.50)
2025 – Denver (62 – 404.25)
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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