Wisconsin ranks No. 12 in latest Learfield Directors' Cup standings
April 23, 2026 | General News, Men's Basketball, Men's Hockey, Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Hockey, Women's Swimming & Diving, Women's Track & Field, Wrestling
Top-two finishes from the hockey teams highlight strong winter season
MADISON, Wis. – Following the winter sports season, Wisconsin ranks No. 12 in the latest Division I Learfield Directors' Cup standings, presented by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and LEARFIELD.
After top-two finishes from both the women's and men's hockey teams, the Badgers closed out the winter season with 380.00 points, bringing their overall total to 616.00.
Wisconsin ranks fifth among Big Ten schools, with Michigan (2), Ohio State (4), Penn State (5) and Nebraska (8) the only other schools in the conference to rank ahead of the Badgers.
The women's hockey team led the way for Wisconsin, adding on to its record National Championship total after beating Ohio State, 3-2 for the program's ninth title. The team also produced its seventh Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner, honoring the best female athlete in college hockey, with defender Caroline Harvey taking home the honors. Women's hockey secured 100 points in the standings for UW.
Following closely behind was the men's hockey team, who finished No. 2 in the standings after the team made its ninth official National Championship appearance. Entering the tournament as a three-seed in their regional, the Badgers beat No. 8 Dartmouth, No. 3 Michigan State, and No. 2 North Dakota in their brilliant run. They secured 90 points in the standings.
The men's and women's swimming and diving teams both recorded top-35 finishes at the NCAA Championships, with the men collecting 42.0 points from 32nd place, and the women collecting 63.0 points from 13th place. The women's team was Wisconsin's third-highest finisher in the standings after ending their season with two All-American honors, including a runner-up finish from Maggie Wanezek in the 200 backstroke.
The men's basketball team recorded 24 wins, and made its fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in six seasons. The team finished 33rd in the Directors' Cup standings, earning 25.0 points.
Wisconsin also earned 36.5 points from wrestling, after the team sent eight wrestlers to NCAAs - finishing 37th in the nation.
Placing 48th and earning 23.5 points was the women's track team, whose NCAA indoor Championships was highlighted by an All-American honor from seventh-place weight throw finisher Taylor Kesner.
Wisconsin finished 26th nationally in the 2025 Director's Cup and is seeking its first top-20 finish since checking in at No. 16 in 2018-19.
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.
Wisconsin's history in the LEARFIELD Directors' Cup can be viewed here.
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