MEDFORD, MA (June 9, 2026) -- The Tufts University athletics department had one of the best years in school history in 2025-26, capturing an NCAA-high four national crowns on the way to a second-place finish in the 2026 Learfield Directors' Cup to solidify itself as one of the premier athletic departments in all of NCAA sports.
The Jumbos ranked in the top five for its sixth time in program history, while the second-place finish tied for the second-best behind the 2021-22 Learfield Director's Cup crown for the Jumbos. Tufts was second in 202-23 as well.
The Jumbos saw nine spring teams compete in NCAA events over the last month to combine for an impressive 512.75 points for the spring campaign. The spring season point tally was the second-most points in the spring behind just Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges and it's 548.75 points from the spring. That point total was booted by a pair of Division III national titles, as Tufts men's lacrosse and women's rowing each captured their third-straight NCAA titles to each add 100 points to the Jumbo ledger. In fact, Tufts had so many NCAA teams that it wasn't able to include all of the point totals due to the contest regulations, but the Jumbos women's lacrosse and men's tennis team each added 83 points for a semifinalist finish, while women's track and field also captured 15th place at NCAA Championships for 59.25 points.
Tufts baseball and women's tennis each scored for the Jumbos in the spring, while softball and men's track and field placed in NCAA competition but didn't have their point totals included in the final tally.
The final point of 1252.50 was the most by a Tufts department in Director's Cup history, eclipsing the previous high of 1126 set back in 2022-23. The Jumbos were also the highest New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) school listed. Tufts finished just 14 points behind eventual winner Washington University of St. Louis and its 1266.50 points, while Tufts edged Johns Hopkins University (1180.00), Emory University (1066.00) and Williams College (1063.75) in the top five.
Tufts came into the spring ranked fifth in the Directors' Cup standings with 739.75 points after recording 485.00 points in the fall and 254.75 points in the winter.
Back in the fall, 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. Two weekends later, the Tufts men's soccer team added its fifth national crown in exciting fashion in Salem, Virginia.
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 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.
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.
"Our finish in the Learfield Cup standings is the testament of the hard work of so many," said Director of Athletics
Ryan Pisarri. "The administration, coaches and especially our student-athletics have worked tirelessly to cement Tufts Athletics as one of the premier Division III athletic departments in the country. With four NCAA Championships and countless NCAA appearances, this was one of the best years in school history and the future of Tufts Athletics is as bright as ever."
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 NCAA Tournament finishes in up to 18 sports, including mandatory sports of men's and women's soccer and basketball.
The Jumbos second-place finish in 2025-26 is the 13th consecutive season that the Jumbos have posted a Top 10 ranking and 14th since 1995-96. Tufts earned its first Learfield Directors' Cup title in 2021-22, while finishing second in 2022-23. The Jumbos were also third in 2016-17 and 2024-25, while adding a fourth-place ranking back in 2015-16 and 2023-24. Tufts was sixth in 2005-06 and 2009-10. The competition had been canceled in both 2019-20 and 2020-21 due to COVID-19.
See the final 2025-26 Learfield Directors' Cup Final Standings
HERE.
--JUMBOS--
