Athletics

Nittany Lions earn 20th top-15 finish in Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup

Penn State ranked No. 13; remains among only nine schools in every final Directors' Cup top 25

Credit: Penn State AthleticsAll Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For the 20th time in the past 26 years, Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics has earned a top-15 finish in the final Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup standings.

The Nittany Lions placed No. 13 in the final 2018-19 Directors’ Cup rankings, finishing in the top 15 for the ninth time in the past 10 years. Penn State remains one of only nine programs nationwide to have finished in the top 25 in all 26 Learfield Directors' Cup final standings.

Nineteen of Penn State’s 31 teams participated in their respective NCAA championships or played in a bowl game in 2018-19, winning one NCAA title and six Big Ten crowns.

“We’ve realized significant team and individual achievements and championships again this year and we’re pleased to earn another top 15 finish in the Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup,” said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour. “This recognition is further evidence of the comprehensive excellence our entire ICA team strives for in their daily interactions. It’s a tribute to the students, coaches and support staff who are dedicated to creating conditions for their success. With continued hard work and investment in student and program success, our daily motivation is to compete for the top spot.”

Stanford won the 2018-19 Directors’ Cup and was followed by Michigan, Florida, Texas, USC, UCLA, Florida State, Virginia, Duke, North Carolina, LSU, Ohio State and Penn State.

Penn State won its fourth consecutive NCAA wrestling championship, the team’s eighth NCAA title in nine years, and captured six Big Ten championships or tournament titles in men’s gymnastics, men’s lacrosse, women’s soccer and wrestling in 2018-19. The men’s lacrosse squad won its first Big Ten crown and advanced to the NCAA semifinals for the first time.

Eight of Penn State’s 10 highest yearly totals for Big Ten championships won have occurred since the 2008-09 academic year. The Nittany Lions have won a combined 16 Big Ten titles during the past three years.

Institutions in final Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup top 25 every year (1994-2019):

Penn State, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio State, Southern California, Stanford, Texas and UCLA.

Nittany Lion students also won six individual NCAA Championships and 12 individual Big Ten titles this past year.

Penn State among the nation's most comprehensive and successful athletic programs

Under Barbour's leadership, Penn State has one of the nation’s most comprehensive and successful athletic programs, featuring 800 student-athletes across 31 varsity programs (16 men’s, 15 women’s).

Nittany Lion students have posted an NCAA Graduation Success Rate of 90 percent the past two years, which ties Penn State’ all-time high. Eight teams earned a 100 percent graduation rate in the 2018 NCAA Graduation Rates Report. The Nittany Lions rank No. 4 among all Division I schools with 205 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans all-time and broke the school record with 368 Academic All-Big Ten honorees in 2018-19 (3.0 GPA or higher).

Penn State’s 51 NCAA championships all-time (79 national championships overall) rank No. 5 among all NCAA Division I programs and are the highest total of any college or university east of the Mississippi River. Penn State’s 21 NCAA titles since 2007 are tied for No. 3 in the nation and lead all Big Ten Conference institutions. The Nittany Lions have won 113 Big Ten championships or tournament titles since capturing their first crown in 1992-93, including six during the 2018-19 academic year.

Last Updated August 30, 2019