CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Following the completion of the 2025-26 winter sports season, the Atlantic Coast Conference continues to lead the nation, maintaining its position atop the latest 2025-26 Learfield Directors' Cup Division I standings, as announced Thursday.
The ACC leads all conferences with:
- The No. 1-ranked institution in Stanford
- Four of the top 10 institutions — no other conference has more
- Six of the top 15 institutions — no other conference has more
- 16 institutions ranked among the top 70 — no other conference has more
ACC institutions in the standings include:
Stanford (No. 1), North Carolina (No. 3), Virginia (No. 6), Notre Dame (No. 10), Duke (No. 11), NC State (No. 13), Louisville (No. 20), Virginia Tech (No. 53), California (No. 54), Miami (No. 56), Clemson (No. 59), Pitt (No. 61), Wake Forest (No. 63), Syracuse (No. 66), SMU (No. 67), Florida State (No. 69), Boston College (No. 84) and Georgia Tech (No. 111).
“Our institutions have continued to distinguish themselves through exceptional performance during the winter season, underscoring the ACC’s sustained excellence and competitive depth,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “The most recent Division I Learfield Directors’ Cup standings further affirm our collective commitment to broad-based success and the high standards upheld across our programs. With Stanford leading the nation and several other ACC teams consistently among the national leaders, these results are a testament to the dedication and leadership demonstrated by our Presidents, Chancellors and Athletic Directors, as well as the achievements of our student-athletes, coaches and administrators.”
Stanford leads all institutions with 917.50 total points, nearly 65 points ahead of the next closest program. The Cardinal also extended its NCAA-record streak to 50 consecutive years with at least one NCAA team championship, highlighted this winter by a national title in men’s gymnastics, while the women’s gymnastics team added a seventh-place NCAA finish.
North Carolina ranks third overall with 835.00 points, compiling scoring performances across 10 winter sports, including top-20 finishes in women’s basketball, men’s and women’s fencing, men’s swimming & diving and women’s gymnastics.
Virginia stands sixth with 696.75 points, bolstered by scoring efforts in six winter sports and headlined by the program’s sixth consecutive national championship in women’s swimming & diving. Notre Dame rounds out the top 10 with 644.00 points, paced by national titles in both men’s and women’s fencing, along with a fifth-place finish in women’s basketball.
Duke (No. 11), NC State (No. 13) and Louisville (No. 20) all rank in the top 20.
The spring Division I Learfield Directors’ Cup standings will be updated and published in mid-June.
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 Twitter @ldirectorscup.