CLEVELAND, Ohio – Led by Colorado College’s 45th place finish, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) placed seven institutions, including four in the top 165, in the prestigious 2025-26 Division III LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup final standings in an announcement made Monday by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). Complete Standings
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 in up to 18 sports across the fall, winter and spring seasons.
This year marks the fifth consecutive year the SCAC has placed five or more schools in the final rankings, the longest such stretch since the conference posted a streak of six-straight years from 2007-12.
The SCAC is one of just 21 NCAA Division III conferences that has at least four institutions finish ranked in the top 165. Other conferences included: American Rivers, CCIW, CCS, Centennial, Coast-to-Coast, Conference of New England, Liberty League, MAC, MIAA, MIAC, NCAC, NESCAC, NEWMAC, NJAC, OAC, ODAC, SAA, SCIAC, UAA and WIAC.
Colorado College finished the 2025-26 season with 395.00 points to pace the SCAC, earning 219.00 points this spring after amassing 174.00 combined points in the fall and winter. The Tigers’ spring season was highlighted by several NCAA playoff runs and standout performances. The men’s and women’s tennis programs combined for 100.00 points after both squads qualified for the NCAA Tournament in the same year for the first time in school history. The CC women’s track team secured five points after tying for 65th at the NCAA Championships and the women’s and men’s lacrosse teams combined for 114 points after finishing tied for ninth and 17th respectively. The 45th place finish is the best finish for Colorado College since the Tigers joined the SCAC prior to the 2006-07 academic year.
Texas Lutheran University finished tied for 139th, accumulating 138.00 points to finish inside the top 140 for the second-straight year. The Bulldogs secured 88.00 points this spring, thanks to the softball program advancing to its second-straight and fourth overall NCAA Super Regional, earning 64 points. The TLU men’s track program added 24 points following a 46th-place finish at the NCAA Championships last month.
SCAC debutant, LeTourneau University, secured 156th overall after accumulating 114.50 points to rank as the conference’s third-highest scoring institution. The YellowJackets picked up 114.50 points in the spring after both the men’s and women’s golf program’s both qualified for the NCAA Tournament in the same year for the first time in school history. The men’s squad finished 12th and captured 64.5 points while the women finished tied for 24th and added an additional 50.0 points.
University of St. Thomas compiled 110.50 points to earn 161st place. The Celts secured an additional 37.5 points this spring after the softball program qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight season and third time in the last four years.
McMurry University rounded out the top five SCAC finishers, claiming 233rd after accumulating 54.00 total points. The War Hawks added 5.0 points this spring courtesy of the women’s track program finishing tied for 72nd at the NCAA Championships.
University of St. Thomas rounded out the top five SCAC finishers, claiming 129th after accumulating 149.00 total points. The Celts added 99.00 points in the spring, led by the softball team’s 17th-place finish (50.00) the men’s golf program taking home 25th (49.00) at the NCAA Championships.
Concordia University (Texas) finished tied for 236th in the rankings, totaling 50.00 points behind the strength of the baseball program’s third-straight and ninth overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament this spring.
Austin College (T274th – 25.00 points) secured its spot on the final LEARFIELD standings after the ‘Roos magical run to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament in the winter.
Washington-St. Louis claimed the 2025-26 Division III Directors’ Cup, winning with 1,266.50 total points. Tufts University, which finished third last year, jumped into second in 2025-26 with 1,252.50 points. Johns Hopkins, winner of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Directors’ Cup, earned 1,180.00 points to round out the top three.
After the completion of all 14 spring NCAA championships, the following institutions captured titles: baseball – Denison; beach volleyball – UCLA; women's golf – Emory; men's golf – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps; women's lacrosse - Middlebury; men's lacrosse – Tufts; women's rowing - Tufts; softball – Redlands; women's tennis – Wesleyan (CT); men's tennis – UChicago; women's track and field – Wisconsin La-Crosse; men's track and field – Wisconsin La-Crosse; men's volleyball – Hawaii; women's water polo – Southern California.
