University of Oklahoma Athletics
Oklahoma Finishes 16th in Learfield Directors' Cup
June 25, 2026 | Baseball, Football, Athletics, Cross Country, Men's Golf, Men's Gymnastics, Men's Tennis, Track and Field, Softball, Women's Basketball, Women's Golf, Women's Gymnastics, Women's Tennis, Wrestling
NORMAN – The University of Oklahoma finished 16th in the 2025-26 Division I LEARFIELD Directors' Cup standings, marking the athletics department's third-highest finish in the last 12 years, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics announced Thursday.
Oklahoma's No. 16 finish ranks as the department's eighth best since the Directors' Cup began in 1993-94. The SEC paced all Division I conferences with nine institutions finishing inside the top 25 and was followed by the Big Ten (eight), ACC (six), Ivy League (one) and Big 12 (one).
Developed through a partnership between NACDA and USA Today, the Directors' Cup recognizes broad-based excellence across collegiate athletics. Points are awarded based on NCAA Championship finishes, with Division I scores calculated from 19 sports, including baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's soccer and women's volleyball. The next highest 14 (maximum) sports scored for each institution, regardless of gender, are used in the standings.
The Sooners totaled 930.75 points during the 2025-26 academic year, fueled by a dominant spring that produced 439.25 points to complement 364 points in the winter and 127.5 points in the fall.
Baseball capped a historic season by capturing the program's third national championship, earning 100 Directors' Cup points. Led by head coach Skip Johnson, the Sooners recorded nine victories over nationally seeded opponents, including wins over the SEC, ACC and Big 12 champions, en route to the title.
Women's gymnastics also earned 100 points after winning the program's eighth national championship and second straight. The Sooners finished 35-1-1, claimed the outright SEC regular-season championship and extended their NCAA-record streak to 16 consecutive NCAA Regional titles. OU's championship campaign featured 15 All-America honors and two individual national champions.
Men's track and field and cross country combined for 183.75 points across the fall, winter and spring seasons. The Sooners opened the year with a 15th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships – their best national result in a decade – before placing 11th at the NCAA Indoor Championships – their highest indoor finish since 1997. The team tied for 16th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships behind discus national champion Ralford Mullings and 14 All-America honors. OU was one of only three programs nationally to finish in the top 16 in men's cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field during the 2025-26 season.
Powered by three individual national champions, men's gymnastics finished as the NCAA runner-up and contributed 90 points. The Sooners also captured their 21st Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title and have recorded a top-two national finish in 20 of the last 25 seasons.
Football added 67.5 points after making the program's fifth College Football Playoff appearance. Oklahoma finished 10-3, securing its 43rd 10-win season and second under head coach Brent Venables.
Led by head coach Jennie Baranczyk, women's basketball contributed 64 points with its second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance. The Sooners finished 26-8 and eclipsed 25 wins for the fourth time in five seasons under Baranczyk.
Softball added 64 points behind the program's 16th consecutive NCAA Super Regional appearance. Oklahoma reached the 50-win mark for the 13th straight season and secured its second consecutive SEC regular-season championship.
Men's and women's tennis each earned 64 points as both programs advanced to the NCAA Super Regional round. The women's team won the SEC regular-season title and posted a 25-6 record for the year, tying for the second-most wins in program history. The men finished 20-7 and recorded 13 victories over ranked opponents while registering the program's eighth Sweet 16 appearance.
Men's golf earned 61.5 points after advancing to the NCAA Championships for the 15th consecutive season, the second-longest streak in program history. The Sooners placed 14th nationally, securing their ninth top-15 NCAA finish in the last 10 championships.
Wrestling contributed 44 points after sending seven competitors to the NCAA Championships. It was the program's most national qualifiers under third-year head coach Roger Kish.
Women's golf added 28 points after advancing to its 22nd NCAA Regional. OU finished the season ranked among the nation's top 30 programs for the first time in more than a decade.
Oklahoma's No. 16 finish ranks as the department's eighth best since the Directors' Cup began in 1993-94. The SEC paced all Division I conferences with nine institutions finishing inside the top 25 and was followed by the Big Ten (eight), ACC (six), Ivy League (one) and Big 12 (one).
Developed through a partnership between NACDA and USA Today, the Directors' Cup recognizes broad-based excellence across collegiate athletics. Points are awarded based on NCAA Championship finishes, with Division I scores calculated from 19 sports, including baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's soccer and women's volleyball. The next highest 14 (maximum) sports scored for each institution, regardless of gender, are used in the standings.
The Sooners totaled 930.75 points during the 2025-26 academic year, fueled by a dominant spring that produced 439.25 points to complement 364 points in the winter and 127.5 points in the fall.
Baseball capped a historic season by capturing the program's third national championship, earning 100 Directors' Cup points. Led by head coach Skip Johnson, the Sooners recorded nine victories over nationally seeded opponents, including wins over the SEC, ACC and Big 12 champions, en route to the title.
Women's gymnastics also earned 100 points after winning the program's eighth national championship and second straight. The Sooners finished 35-1-1, claimed the outright SEC regular-season championship and extended their NCAA-record streak to 16 consecutive NCAA Regional titles. OU's championship campaign featured 15 All-America honors and two individual national champions.
Men's track and field and cross country combined for 183.75 points across the fall, winter and spring seasons. The Sooners opened the year with a 15th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships – their best national result in a decade – before placing 11th at the NCAA Indoor Championships – their highest indoor finish since 1997. The team tied for 16th at the NCAA Outdoor Championships behind discus national champion Ralford Mullings and 14 All-America honors. OU was one of only three programs nationally to finish in the top 16 in men's cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field during the 2025-26 season.
Powered by three individual national champions, men's gymnastics finished as the NCAA runner-up and contributed 90 points. The Sooners also captured their 21st Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title and have recorded a top-two national finish in 20 of the last 25 seasons.
Football added 67.5 points after making the program's fifth College Football Playoff appearance. Oklahoma finished 10-3, securing its 43rd 10-win season and second under head coach Brent Venables.
Led by head coach Jennie Baranczyk, women's basketball contributed 64 points with its second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance. The Sooners finished 26-8 and eclipsed 25 wins for the fourth time in five seasons under Baranczyk.
Softball added 64 points behind the program's 16th consecutive NCAA Super Regional appearance. Oklahoma reached the 50-win mark for the 13th straight season and secured its second consecutive SEC regular-season championship.
Men's and women's tennis each earned 64 points as both programs advanced to the NCAA Super Regional round. The women's team won the SEC regular-season title and posted a 25-6 record for the year, tying for the second-most wins in program history. The men finished 20-7 and recorded 13 victories over ranked opponents while registering the program's eighth Sweet 16 appearance.
Men's golf earned 61.5 points after advancing to the NCAA Championships for the 15th consecutive season, the second-longest streak in program history. The Sooners placed 14th nationally, securing their ninth top-15 NCAA finish in the last 10 championships.
Wrestling contributed 44 points after sending seven competitors to the NCAA Championships. It was the program's most national qualifiers under third-year head coach Roger Kish.
Women's golf added 28 points after advancing to its 22nd NCAA Regional. OU finished the season ranked among the nation's top 30 programs for the first time in more than a decade.
2025-26 Learfield Directors' Cup Top 25
| Rank | School | Total Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 1,322.00 |
| 2 | Stanford | 1,263.50 |
| 3 | UCLA | 1,199.25 |
| 4 | North Carolina | 1,166.75 |
| 5 | Virginia | 1,148.75 |
| 6 | Florida | 1,104.50 |
| 7 | USC | 1,095.50 |
| 8 | Georgia | 1,081.25 |
| 9 | Michigan | 1,076.75 |
| 10 | Ohio State | 1,071.25 |
| 11 | Duke | 1,039.25 |
| 12 | Texas A&M | 980.00 |
| 13 | Alabama | 968.75 |
| 14 | Arkansas | 965.75 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 964.75 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | 930.75 |
| 17 | Nebraska | 929.00 |
| 18 | LSU | 926.75 |
| 19 | Notre Dame | 898.50 |
| 20 | Princeton | 878.50 |
| 21 | Penn State | 864.50 |
| 22 | NC State | 860.00 |
| 23 | Oregon | 783.00 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | 754.00 |
| 25 | BYU | 730.00 |
Oklahoma in the Learfield Directors' Cup by Year
| Year | Finish | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 16 | 930.75 |
| 2024-25 | 9 | 1017.20 |
| 2023-24 | 24 | 805.75 |
| 2022-23 | 23 | 813.75 |
| 2021-22 | 10 | 968.50 |
| 2020-21 | 24 | 774.00 |
| 2019-20 | COVID | N/A |
| 2018-19 | 33 | 703.50 |
| 2017-18 | 25 | 785.75 |
| 2016-17 | 17 | 876.00 |
| 2015-16 | 16 | 914.25 |
| 2014-15 | 21 | 799.50 |
| 2013-14 | 19 | 902.75 |
| 2012-13 | 7 | 1078.25 |
| 2011-12 | 14 | 946.00 |
| 2010-11 | 10 | 1064.75 |
| 2009-10 | 12 | 921.25 |
| 2008-09 | 29 | 656.50 |
| 2007-08 | 23 | 713.00 |
| 2006-07 | 25 | 702.75 |
| 2005-06 | 37 | 482.15 |
| 2004-05 | 24 | 571.25 |
| 2003-04 | 15 | 728.75 |
| 2002-03 | 20 | 643.25 |
| 2001-02 | 17 | 760.50 |
| 2000-01 | 18 | 698.50 |
| 1999-00 | 25 | 563.50 |
| 1998-99 | 51 | 170.00 |
| 1997-98 | 34 | 250.00 |
| 1996-97 | 37 | 370.00 |
| 1995-96 | 51 | 310.50 |
| 1994-95 | 22 | 423.00 |
| 1993-94 | 20 | 499.00 |
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