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Western Colorado University Earns 306.5 Points in 2025-26 Learfield Directors Cup, Finishes 66th Among Division II Schools
Western Colorado University’s Mountaineers finished the 2025‑26 NCAA Division II season with 306.5 points in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Learfield Directors’ Cup standings, placing 66th among the 251 Division II schools that earned points. The ranking reflects the cumulative performance of the university’s 12 varsity teams across all sports.
The calculation for the Directors’ Cup begins with a core set of four sports: football, women’s basketball, men’s basketball, and the higher‑scoring of football or men’s soccer. Western’s core total was 209.8 points, broken down into 80.0 from football, 77.5 from women’s basketball, 42.3 from men’s basketball, and 10.0 from volleyball. These figures are derived from the teams’ finishes in conference and national championships during the academic year.
After the core sports, six additional teams—three men’s and three women’s—are added to complete the annual tally. The Mountaineers’ women’s programs contributed 225.0 points: 84.0 from indoor track & field, 81.0 from cross country, and 60.0 from swimming & diving. The men’s teams added 206.0 points, with 87.0 from cross country, 62.0 from indoor track & field, and 57.0 from outdoor track & field. Combined, these twelve sports produced the 306.5 points that placed Western 66th in the national standings.
While Western’s overall position was modest, the university’s performance within the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) was stronger. The Mountaineers finished seventh in the RMAC all‑sports standings, a result that reflects solid results in conference play and at the RMAC championships. The RMAC is a Division II conference that includes schools such as Adams State, Colorado Mesa, and Western Colorado, and it awards points based on conference and national finishes.
In contrast, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) captured the top spot in the final Directors’ Cup standings with 906.0 points. UCCS’s success was largely driven by first‑place finishes at the RMAC championships in women’s indoor and outdoor track & field and at the men’s outdoor track & field championship. UCCS is a larger institution with a broader athletic program, and its higher point total reflects a wider spread of high finishes across multiple sports.
The 2025‑26 season also saw the Mountaineers’ football team earn 80.0 core points, a result that came from a strong conference record and a deep run in the postseason. The women’s basketball team’s 77.5 points were earned through a competitive conference schedule and a berth in the NCAA Division II tournament. The men’s basketball team’s 42.3 points reflected a respectable finish in the RMAC and a postseason appearance in the conference tournament.
The NACDA Learfield Directors’ Cup is awarded annually to the college or university with the most success in collegiate athletics, based on order of finish in NCAA and NAIA championships. Points are awarded on a sliding scale, with first place earning 100 points, second place 90, third 85, fourth 80, and decreasing values for lower finishes. The award was originally presented to Division I schools in 1993 and was expanded to Division II, Division III, and NAIA schools in 1995.
Western’s 306.5 points represent a solid contribution from its 12 varsity teams, but the university remains focused on building depth across all sports. The athletic department has highlighted the importance of continued investment in coaching, facilities, and athlete development to improve future standings. The next season will see the Mountaineers compete in the RMAC and pursue additional conference titles, with the goal of moving higher in the national Directors’ Cup rankings.
The 2025‑26 season’s final Directors’ Cup standings were released by NACDA on June 9, 2026, and the results will be used by the university’s athletic department to assess program performance and set priorities for the coming academic year.
The calculation for the Directors’ Cup begins with a core set of four sports: football, women’s basketball, men’s basketball, and the higher‑scoring of football or men’s soccer. Western’s core total was 209.8 points, broken down into 80.0 from football, 77.5 from women’s basketball, 42.3 from men’s basketball, and 10.0 from volleyball. These figures are derived from the teams’ finishes in conference and national championships during the academic year.
After the core sports, six additional teams—three men’s and three women’s—are added to complete the annual tally. The Mountaineers’ women’s programs contributed 225.0 points: 84.0 from indoor track & field, 81.0 from cross country, and 60.0 from swimming & diving. The men’s teams added 206.0 points, with 87.0 from cross country, 62.0 from indoor track & field, and 57.0 from outdoor track & field. Combined, these twelve sports produced the 306.5 points that placed Western 66th in the national standings.
While Western’s overall position was modest, the university’s performance within the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) was stronger. The Mountaineers finished seventh in the RMAC all‑sports standings, a result that reflects solid results in conference play and at the RMAC championships. The RMAC is a Division II conference that includes schools such as Adams State, Colorado Mesa, and Western Colorado, and it awards points based on conference and national finishes.
In contrast, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) captured the top spot in the final Directors’ Cup standings with 906.0 points. UCCS’s success was largely driven by first‑place finishes at the RMAC championships in women’s indoor and outdoor track & field and at the men’s outdoor track & field championship. UCCS is a larger institution with a broader athletic program, and its higher point total reflects a wider spread of high finishes across multiple sports.
The 2025‑26 season also saw the Mountaineers’ football team earn 80.0 core points, a result that came from a strong conference record and a deep run in the postseason. The women’s basketball team’s 77.5 points were earned through a competitive conference schedule and a berth in the NCAA Division II tournament. The men’s basketball team’s 42.3 points reflected a respectable finish in the RMAC and a postseason appearance in the conference tournament.
The NACDA Learfield Directors’ Cup is awarded annually to the college or university with the most success in collegiate athletics, based on order of finish in NCAA and NAIA championships. Points are awarded on a sliding scale, with first place earning 100 points, second place 90, third 85, fourth 80, and decreasing values for lower finishes. The award was originally presented to Division I schools in 1993 and was expanded to Division II, Division III, and NAIA schools in 1995.
Western’s 306.5 points represent a solid contribution from its 12 varsity teams, but the university remains focused on building depth across all sports. The athletic department has highlighted the importance of continued investment in coaching, facilities, and athlete development to improve future standings. The next season will see the Mountaineers compete in the RMAC and pursue additional conference titles, with the goal of moving higher in the national Directors’ Cup rankings.
The 2025‑26 season’s final Directors’ Cup standings were released by NACDA on June 9, 2026, and the results will be used by the university’s athletic department to assess program performance and set priorities for the coming academic year.
