MEDFORD, MA (December 23, 2025) -- The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) released the initial 2025-26 standings of the Learfield Directors' Cup, and Tufts University sits atop the listing after a historic fall for Jumbo Athletics.
The Learfield Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between NACDA and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's NCAA Tournament finishes in up to 18 sports - nine women's and nine men's.
Announced today, the incomplete fall standings include results for men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball and men's water polo. New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) schools are not eligible for NCAA play in football and Tufts does not have a varsity men's water polo team.
Tufts qualified all six fall teams for NCAA Championships, as both men's and women's soccer and cross country squads joined the field hockey and volleyball teams. The Jumbos finished the fall with a nation-high 485.0 points after the fall season, which is the most in Tufts Athletics history eclipsing the 330.50 points back in 2021-22. Tufts had 305.50 points in the fall last season when it was fourth after the fall, and 323.50 two years ago when it was also fourth.
The Jumbos had a pair of squads earn national titles which garners 100 points, as Tufts field hockey and men's soccer were both national champions. Tufts field hockey ran through the NCAA Tournament outscoring opponents 17-3. Tufts knocked off top-ranked Christopher Newport University 1-0 in the semifinals, before
Hannah Biccard scored in overtime of the national title game to lift the Jumbos over Johns Hopkins University 2-1. It was Tufts' second-ever national title.
Two weekends later, the Tufts men's soccer team added its fifth national crown in exciting fashion in Salem, Virginia. After winning the NESCAC title, Tufts won six games in the NCAA Tournament, having to come from behind in three of those games. In the national title game, Tufts netted an equalizer with four seconds to play, and
Xavier Canfin scored in overtime to hand the Jumbos the trophy.
Tufts women's soccer also made its way to Salem for the NCAA Final Four after picking up the NESCAC crown as well, its second in program history. The Jumbos outscored teams 12-0 on their road to the NCAA Final Four, including defeating Mary Washington 1-0 in the Elite 8 in overtime, to pick up 83 points.
The Tufts women's volleyball team won a NESCAC crown as well this fall, earning NCAA Regional hosting duties in Cousens Gymnasium. The Jumbos knocked off Bridgewater State and Kean University in the NCAA Tournament before falling to No. 1 East Texas Baptist University 3-1 in the Regional final, earning 64 points.
The men's and women's cross country teams continued their ascent as two of the best teams in the nation, as the men's squad took home seventh place at the NCAA Championships while the women's team was 11th overall. The men's squad earned 72 points for the Directors' Cup total, while the women's cross country team corralled 66 points.
Tufts' total of 485 points was the third-most ever in Directors' Cup fall points history for the Division III level, as Johns Hopkins posted 500.5 in 2022 and 495.5 in 2024. JHU holds seven of the top eight point totals in the fall standings dating back to 1995. This year (2025) is just the second time ever that two schools have posted 400+ points in the same fall season, as JHU is right behind Tufts with 454 points this fall.
Washington University of St. Louis (358.50), Williams College (343.50) and Trinity University of Texas (334.00) rounded out the top five point totals.
The Jumbos are coming off a third-place finish in the final 2024-25 standings a season ago, their sixth all-time top five finish. It was their 12th straight year in the Top 10, and 15th time since 1995-96.
Tufts finished second overall in 2022-23, in addition to winning the Directors' Cup for the first time in 2021-22. The Jumbos' 2016-17 third-place finish overall and 2015-16's fourth-place showing are other top-five performances. The Jumbos had sixth-place showings in 2005-06 and 2009-10.
The final fall standings for Division I and Division III will be published on Thursday, January 22.
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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 NCAA Championships.
Please note, standings published midseason are unofficial. Official standings will be published upon the completion of the spring season. Complete standings and the scoring structure can be found on NACDA's website at www.directorscup.org. In addition, please visit www.thedirectorscup.com and follow us on X @ldirectorscup.
About Learfield: Learfield is a media, data, and technology services leader in intercollegiate athletics. The company unlocks the value of college sports for brands and fans through an omnichannel platform with innovative content and commerce solutions. Learfield services include licensing and collegiate sports properties' multimedia sponsorship management; publishing, audio, digital and social media; data analytics and insights; ticketing software; and ticket sales, premium seating, and fundraising services; branding; campus-wide business and sponsorship development. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for
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