By: Jeff Evans, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University Athletics turned in one of its best all-around seasons in program history earning a top 15 finish in the final 2025-26 Learfield Directors' Cup standings for NCAA Division II.
WWU placed 13th out of nearly 300 NCAA Division II schools with 583.75 points. The Vikings had 12 programs represented at the NCAA Championships in 2025-26 and gathered 11 GNAC Championship trophies to earn a fifth consecutive conference all-sports title.
The 13th-place finish is tied for the 5th-best for WWU Athletics in 28 years competing at the NCAA Division II level since 1998-99, and the best since finishing 11th in 2016-17. In addition to earning a top 15 national finish, WWU was the top program in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and led all West Region schools with Point Loma (PacWest) placing 24th with 516.0 points.
"What a year for our student-athletes, coaches and staff to record this amazing finish in the Learfield Directors' Cup standings," said WWU co-Director of Athletics Steve Brummel. "There are so many great programs at the NCAA Division II level, and it is an honor to continue to represent our University at the top of these standings. While the athletic accolades are incredibly impressive, the success our student-athletes have achieved in the classroom makes this an even greater achievement. Go Vikings!"
Western has now recorded a top 50 finish in the Learfield Cup in 20 of the last 21 seasons and has nine top 20 finishes. In recent years WWU has finished 43rd (2024-25), 38th (2023-24), 37th (2022-23) and 27th (2021-22) in the final standings.
WWU was in 8th place after the fall standings with points earned in women's soccer, volleyball and both cross country programs, highlighted by the men's cross country team placing 9th at the national championship. Women's basketball and women's indoor track & field earned winter points to stand in 30th place overall and the spring season moved the Vikings into the top 15.
The women's rowing program won its 10th national championship to lead the strong spring performance, with the track & field program sending a record 16 athletes to the national championship to also earn points. The WWU softball team advanced to its third consecutive NCAA Championships West Regional and men's golf won the West Region and placed 16th at nationals.
WWU's athletic success continues to be matched by its academic success recording an 89% Academic Success Rate to narrowly miss earning the prestigious NCAA Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence (won 7 times in last 9 years). Viking student-athletes earned a record 142 GNAC All-Academic awards and 43 Academic All-Region honors.
2025-26 DIRECTORS' CUP STANDINGS
Here is a look at the top 50 teams in the final standings for the 2025-26 Learfield Directors' Cup standings. For the 18th time in the Directors' Cup history, Grand Valley State University earned the top honor compiling 1089.75 points.
|
Rk
|
School
|
Conference
|
Total
|
Spring
|
Winter
|
Fall
|
|
1.
|
Grand Valley State
|
GLIAC
|
1089.75
|
381.25
|
528.50
|
180.00
|
|
2.
|
Wingate
|
SAC
|
892.50
|
414.50
|
220.00
|
258.00
|
|
3.
|
Indianapolis
|
GLVC
|
832.00
|
386.50
|
278.50
|
167.00
|
|
4.
|
West Texas A&M
|
LSC
|
737.75
|
369.50
|
187.75
|
180.50
|
|
5.
|
Minnesota State
|
NSIC
|
705.00
|
231.25
|
298.75
|
175.00
|
|
6.
|
Tampa
|
SSC
|
704.75
|
382.75
|
190.00
|
132.00
|
|
7.
|
Colorado School of Mines
|
RMAC
|
698.50
|
148.50
|
275.00
|
275.00
|
|
8.
|
Pittsburg State
|
MIAA
|
673.00
|
285.00
|
200.00
|
188.00
|
|
9.
|
Washburn
|
MIAA
|
671.00
|
341.00
|
145.00
|
185.00
|
|
10.
|
Catawba
|
SAC
|
657.50
|
310.50
|
212.00
|
135.00
|
|
11.
|
Colorado Mesa
|
RMAC
|
632.50
|
103.00
|
425.50
|
104.00
|
|
12.
|
West Florida
|
GSC
|
613.00
|
305.00
|
105.00
|
203.00
|
|
13.
|
Western Washington
|
GNAC
|
583.75
|
290.75
|
93.00
|
200.00
|
|
14.
|
Central Missouri
|
MIAA
|
577.00
|
265.50
|
261.50
|
50.00
|
|
15.
|
Lee
|
GSC
|
569.00
|
328.25
|
88.25
|
152.50
|
|
16.
|
Findlay
|
G-MAC
|
566.25
|
259.75
|
231.50
|
75.00
|
|
17.
|
UT Tyler
|
LSC
|
552.00
|
405.50
|
146.50
|
0.00
|
|
18.
|
Nebraska Kearney
|
MIAA
|
533.75
|
214.25
|
173.50
|
146.00
|
|
19.
|
Colorado State Pueblo
|
RMAC
|
529.75
|
240.25
|
172.00
|
117.50
|
|
20.
|
East Stroudsburg
|
PSAC
|
527.00
|
229.50
|
152.50
|
145.00
|
|
|
Gannon
|
PSAC
|
527.00
|
61.00
|
270.00
|
196.00
|
|
22.
|
Lenoir-Rhyne
|
SAC
|
526.50
|
190.50
|
213.00
|
123.00
|
|
23.
|
Northwest Missouri State
|
MIAA
|
519.00
|
257.50
|
142.50
|
119.00
|
|
24.
|
Point Loma
|
PacWest
|
516.00
|
246.00
|
89.00
|
181.00
|
|
25.
|
Adams State
|
RMAC
|
512.50
|
102.00
|
240.50
|
170.00
|
|
26.
|
Ashland
|
G-MAC
|
511.50
|
214.50
|
194.00
|
103.00
|
|
27.
|
McKendree
|
GLVC
|
504.00
|
144.50
|
309.50
|
50.00
|
|
28.
|
Maryville
|
GLVC
|
494.00
|
168.00
|
212.00
|
114.00
|
|
29.
|
Nova Southeastern
|
SSC
|
489.00
|
168.00
|
257.00
|
64.00
|
|
30.
|
Charleston
|
Mountain East
|
484.50
|
274.00
|
71.50
|
139.00
|
|
|
Lewis
|
GLVC
|
484.50
|
187.00
|
171.50
|
126.00
|
|
32.
|
Flagler
|
PBC
|
484.00
|
284.00
|
0.00
|
200.00
|
|
33.
|
Adelphi
|
NE10
|
475.00
|
375.00
|
25.00
|
75.00
|
|
|
West Chester
|
PSAC
|
475.00
|
238.50
|
80.50
|
156.00
|
|
35.
|
Harding
|
GAC
|
469.75
|
238.00
|
116.75
|
115.00
|
|
36.
|
Anderson
|
SAC
|
460.50
|
198.00
|
25.00
|
237.50
|
|
37.
|
Missouri-St. Louis
|
GLVC
|
439.75
|
217.75
|
124.00
|
98.00
|
|
38.
|
Simon Fraser
|
GNAC
|
438.00
|
143.50
|
219.50
|
75.00
|
|
39.
|
Ferris State
|
GLIAC
|
426.00
|
228.00
|
25.00
|
173.00
|
|
40.
|
Missouri Southern
|
MIAA
|
421.75
|
309.50
|
112.25
|
0.00
|
|
41.
|
Alabama Huntsville
|
GSC
|
417.50
|
129.00
|
182.50
|
106.00
|
|
42.
|
Florida Southern
|
SSC
|
409.50
|
244.50
|
110.00
|
55.00
|
|
43.
|
Lander
|
PBC
|
405.50
|
151.50
|
165.00
|
89.00
|
|
44.
|
Indiana (PA)
|
PSAC
|
401.00
|
107.00
|
205.00
|
89.00
|
|
45.
|
Angelo State
|
LSC
|
393.50
|
249.50
|
80.00
|
64.00
|
|
46.
|
Embry-Riddle
|
SSC
|
380.50
|
182.50
|
130.00
|
68.00
|
|
47.
|
Azusa Pacific
|
PacWest
|
375.75
|
227.50
|
84.25
|
64.00
|
|
48.
|
Kutztown
|
PSAC
|
374.00
|
129.00
|
54.00
|
191.00
|
|
49.
|
Rollins
|
SSC
|
365.50
|
193.00
|
82.50
|
90.00
|
|
50.
|
Bentley
|
NE10
|
357.00
|
84.00
|
100.00
|
173.00
|
WWU ALL-TIME DIRECTORS' CUP STANDINGS
WWU has placed in the top 50 in the Directors' Cup standings in 22 of the 26 seasons at the NCAA Division II level dating back to the first year in 1998-99, which includes 11 years in the national top 30. WWU's highest finish was 6th place in 2009-10 and 7th in 2010-11. This year's 13th-place finish is the best since placing 11th in 2016-17 and tied for 5th-best overall during the D2 era.
|
WWU'S DIVISION II
DIRECTOR'S CUP STANDINGS
|
|
Year
|
Ranking
|
Division
|
|
2025-2026
|
13
|
DII
|
|
2024-2025
|
43
|
DII
|
|
2023-2024
|
38
|
DII
|
|
2022-2023
|
37
|
DII
|
|
2021-2022
|
27
|
DII
|
|
2020-2021
|
--
|
--
|
|
2019-2020
|
--
|
--
|
|
2018-2019
|
41
|
DII
|
|
2017-2018
|
64
|
DII
|
|
2016-2017
|
11
|
DII
|
|
2015-2016
|
26
|
DII
|
|
2014-2015
|
36
|
DII
|
|
2013-2014
|
20
|
DII
|
|
2012-2013
|
13
|
DII
|
|
2011-2012
|
13
|
DII
|
|
2010-2011
|
7
|
DII
|
|
2009-2010
|
6
|
DII
|
|
2008-2009
|
10
|
DII
|
|
2007-2008
|
20
|
DII
|
|
2006-2007
|
32
|
DII
|
|
2005-2006
|
34
|
DII
|
|
2004-2005
|
42
|
DII
|
|
2003-2004
|
31
|
DII
|
|
2002-2003
|
63
|
DII
|
|
2001-2002
|
44
|
DII
|
|
2000-2001
|
71
|
DII
|
|
1999-2000
|
37
|
DII
|
|
1998-1999
|
96
|
DII
|
LEARFIELD CUP POINT BREAKDOWN
Here is a look at the WWU point breakdown for the 2025-26 Learfield Directors' Cup standings, with 11 teams earning points. The scoring structure is explained at length on NACDA.com:
- Women's Rowing – 100.0 Points (1st)
- Men's Cross Country – 69.0 Points (9th)
- Men's Golf – 57.75 Points (16th)
- Women's Cross Country – 56.0 Points (18th)
- Women's Soccer – 50.0 Points (17th)
- Women's Basketball – 50.0 Points (17th)
- Men's Outdoor Track & Field – 49.5 Points (24th)
- Women's Outdoor Track & Field – 46.0 Points (27th)
- Women's Indoor Track & Field – 43.0 Points (29th)
- Softball – 37.5 Points (33rd)
- Volleyball – 25.0 Points (33rd)
- 11 GNAC team titles
- 10 GNAC team of the Week awards
- 12 teams competing in NCAA Championships
- 31 All-Americans
- 52 GNAC Player of the Week Awards
- 98 All-Region Awards
- 142 All-GNAC Awards
- 142 GNAC All-Academic Honors
