MEDFORD, MA (April 2, 2026) -- The Tufts University athletics department dropped from No. 1 to No. 5 in the most recent Learfield Directors' Cup standings following a solid winter campaign.
The Jumbos saw four programs earn points during the winter season by competing in NCAA events, accumulating 254.75 points towards the yearly total. Paired with the massive fall total that saw the Jumbos in first place with 485.00 points, the Jumbos are ranked fifth in the nation with a very strong 739.75 points going into the spring season. Historically, Tufts has been one of the best spring sports schools in the nation.
The Tufts men's and women's swimming and diving teams accumulated 113.50 points across the pair of teams, led by the 64.5 points by the women's swimming and diving team. The Jumbo women finished 12th as a squad, while the men's team picked up 49 points with their 25th place finish.
The Tufts University men's basketball team had one its best seasons in program history, making the NCAA Quarterfinals and picking up 73 total points with its fifth place finish in the country.
The Jumbos women's track and field team also earned 68.25 points with a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships in Birmingham, Alabama. Sophomore
Elysse Cumberland repeated in the triple jump as an NCAA champion, while junior Simisola Lawal also earned crucial points for the Jumbos at the meet.
NYU ranks No. 1 after the winter season with 812.25 points, while Williams College is second with 811 points. Washington University of St. Louis and its 787.50 points ranked No. 3 and Johns Hopkins University was No. 4 with 739.75 points.
Tufts is coming off a third-place finish in the final Directors' Cup standings in 2024-25, after ranking No. 4 in 2023-24, No. 2 in 2022-23 while earning the program's first-ever Directors' Cup title in 2021-22.
Tufts ranking of No. 5 after the winter is their best since ranking No. 4 after the second season back in 2022-23. Tufts was No. 2 in 2021-22 after the winter when they won its first Directors' Cup.
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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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