D2 Learfield Cup Standings

Cleveland, Ohio----The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) released the first official Learfield Director's Cup standings of the 2025-26 year, with Wingate University checking in at number two through the fall season. The Bulldogs piled up 283 points in the fall, only 6.5 points behind first-place Colorado-Colorado Springs. Wingate is the only Division II school to have three top-five national finishes in the fall.

Colorado-Colorado Springs is the leader with 289.5 points thanks to four top-15 finishes including three top-10 showings. Wingate is second at 283 points, eight points ahead of third-place Colorado School of Mines. Anderson ranks fourth, with defending champion Grand Valley State rounding out the top five.

Wingate is no stranger to ranking among the top Division II programs in the nation. The Bulldogs finished second last year, the highest in Wingate or SAC history, while finishing fourth in the 2024 Learfield Cup standings and fifth in 2023. Wingate's other two top-10 finishes came in 2015 (sixth) and 2018 (eighth). The Bulldogs have finished in the top 30 nationally in each of the last 10 years of the award.

Overall, 15 sports are counted in the final Division II Learfield Cup standings, four of which must be women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball and baseball. The next highest (11 max) sports scored for each institution, regardless of gender, are used in the standings. The Learfield Directors' Cup was developed as a joint effort between the NACDA and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in NCAA Championships.

Wingate's fall was highlighted by the men's cross country capturing the fourth NCAA Division II national title in school history, picking up 100 points in the Learfield Cup standings. The 'Dogs captured the national title for the second time in the last three years, while notching their fourth straight top-two national finish. The Bulldogs also rolled to a fifth straight SAC title and fifth straight NCAA Southeast Region championship.

The Wingate women's cross country team finished third at the NCAA championships, the highest finish in program history to collect 85 Learfield Cup points. The 'Dogs also captured their fifth consecutive SAC title and fourth straight NCAA Southeast Region championship.

The Bulldog volleyball team picked up 73 Directors' Cup points by winning their second straight region title and advancing to the national quarterfinals for the third time in four years and eighth time since 2010. Wingate also captured its 19th regular season SAC title in 20 years and 15th SAC tournament championship in that time frame. The 'Dogs dropped a tough five-set match in the national quarters, falling 15-13 in the fifth set against eventual national champion MSU Denver.

The Wingate football team rounded out the scoring in the fall by collecting 17 Learfield Cup points. The Bulldogs went 9-3 overall and 7-2 in SAC play to punch their tickets to the NCAA D2 play-offs for the sixth time in the last eight seasons. The 'Dogs suffered a tough 25-24 setback in the opening round on the last-play touchdown.
 
ABOUT LEARFIELD

Learfield is a media, data, and technology services leader in intercollegiate athletics. The company unlocks the value of college sports for brands and fans through an omnichannel platform with innovative content and commerce solutions. LEARFIELD services include licensing and collegiate sports properties' multimedia sponsorship management; publishing, audio, digital and social media; data analytics and insights; ticketing software; and ticket sales, premium seating, and fundraising services; branding; campus-wide business and sponsorship development. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for NACDA's acclaimed LEARFIELD Directors' Cup, recognizing athletic departments across all divisions.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 30 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 17 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.
 
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