The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) has been ranked No. 1 in the 2025-26 Learfield Directors’ Cup Division II Fall Standings, according to an announcement from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). UCCS accumulated 289.50 points, leading all 124 ranked Division II teams after a record-setting fall season in which all five Mountain Lion programs reached the NCAA postseason.
CU President Todd Saliman said, “Congratulations to the UCCS Mountain Lions. Competing in one of the toughest conferences in NCAA Division II, they have set themselves apart, not only through athletic excellence. Their academic excellence and strong record of service to the community are also worthy of all the honors they have won. The entire CU family is proud of their achievements.”
The Learfield Directors’ Cup awards points based on institutional finishes at NCAA Championships. UCCS Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet stated, “I am extremely proud of our Mountain Lion student-athletes, coaches, athletic department staff and Executive Director of Athletics Nathan Gibson for achieving this remarkable accomplishment. Our students dedicate countless hours of hard work in the classroom, on the field, in our community, and on campus. We are thrilled to celebrate this outstanding achievement.”
UCCS’s women’s cross country team contributed significantly by finishing sixth at the NCAA Division II National Championship meet and earning 73.5 points toward the standings after runner-up performances at both conference and regional meets.
The men’s cross country team added 63 points with a 13th-place finish nationally after starting their postseason with fourth place at conference championships and sixth regionally.
Both men’s and women’s soccer teams each earned 64 points with ninth-place cup standings finishes. The men’s team secured its first RMAC Regular Season and Tournament titles before advancing to the second round of NCAA play; their run ended against Point Loma Nazarene University on November 29.
The women’s soccer squad advanced to the NCAA Third Round as a No. 4 seed in their region but lost to Dallas Baptist University in overtime during the regional final.
Mountain Lions volleyball recorded its best season ever with a program-high 26-4 record and shared an RMAC regular season title before falling in quarterfinals at nationals—collecting another 33 points for UCCS.
Executive Director Nathan Gibson commented: “This fall provided so many amazing moments! From hosting RMAC Championships in Cross Country, winning RMAC Championships in soccer and volleyball, National Championship runs by all of our fall sports…it was truly unforgettable! I see every day the hard work put in by our coaches, staff and student athletes to accomplish at this level, so it is truly humbling to be recognized as the No. 1 institution in the Learfield Directors’ Cup this fall!”
Four Mountain Lion programs finished ranked within their respective top-25 national polls: women’s cross country (No.6), women’s soccer (No.11), men’s cross country (No.13), and men’s soccer (No.19). Sixty-four student-athletes earned RMAC All-Academic honors; nine were named First Team All-Academic selections while Nick Walker was honored as RMAC Academic Athlete of the Year.
Walker along with Miles Seminario (men’s soccer) and Payton Tompkins (volleyball) received College Sports Communicators Academic All-District distinction; Seminario also earned CSC Academic All-America recognition for a second consecutive year.
In addition to athletic success, UCCS made significant contributions through community service—ranking seventh nationally among Division II schools for service hours during 2024-25 according to Helper Helper data—and five teams placed among national leaders for service activities within their sports categories since July 1, logging over 1,440 hours valued above $50,000.
Looking ahead academically, UCCS seeks its forty-third straight semester maintaining a departmental GPA above 3.00—a streak now spanning more than two decades.
Among Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference schools participating in this year’s cup standings alongside UCCS were Colorado School of Mines (third place) and Western Colorado University (sixth).
Winter standings will be released April 2026.
