Stanford takes home 2022-23 Learfield Directors Cup

The Stanford Cardinal once again sit on top of the college athletics world.

The race is over. The 2022-2023 Learfield Directors’ Cup has been won. The Stanford Cardinal will be bringing home the Directors’ Cup to Palo Alto for the 26th time over the last 28 years

The Directors’ Cup is awarded to the university with the best athletic department overall, earning points for the finishing of their individual athletic programs.

Stanford narrowly edged out Texas 1,339 to 1,306.5 to win the Directors’ Cup. Filling out the top 10 was Ohio State (1,210.75), USC (1,073.00), Georgia (1,072.5), Michigan (1,045.75), Virginia (1,032.50), North Carolina (1,030.50), Florida (1,1001.5), and Tennessee (1,000.75).

The other winners at Division II, Division III, and NAIA levels were Grand Valley State (Division II), John Hopkins (Division III), and Indiana Tech (NAIA).

The cup has been awarded annually since the 1993-1994 academic year when North Carolina beat out Stanford. Stanford, however, would go on to win each Directors’ Cup between the 1994-1995 and 2018-2019 academic years. The Cup was not awarded in the 2019-2020 academic year due to COVID. Each of the last two years, Texas defeated Stanford becoming just the third university to win the Cup. Stanford finished second in both years, now the Cardinal is back on top.

At the Division II level, Grand Valley State is a frequent winner as well. This is their 15th Directors’ Cup, they have won all 15 since the 2003-2004 academic year. This year’s cup is the first for John Hopkins at the Division III level as well as for Indiana Tech at the NAIA level.