Virginia Finishes 11th in Final Directors’ Cup Standings

CLEVELAND, Ohio – NCAA championships in men’s lacrosse and women’s swimming and diving propelled Virginia to an 11th-place finish in the final 2020-21 Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup competition, announced Friday (July 2) by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

Virginia placed in the top 25 for the 14th consecutive year. UVA is one of 10 schools to rank in the top 30 of the final Directors’ Cup standings in the 28-year existence of the program. The Directors’ Cup was not awarded in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Points in the Director’s Cup standings are awarded by a school’s NCAA postseason finish in 19 sports, four of which must be men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and volleyball.

“This has been an amazing year for a lot of reasons and the performances of our teams and our Directors’ Cup finish shows how well our coaches and student-athletes met those challenges,” said Virginia director of athletics Carla Williams. “I am so proud of how our entire department performed considering the circumstances. Winning two national championships and seeing several individuals crowned national champions was fantastic. For our student-athletes and coaches to manage the hurdles and protocols put before them on a daily basis to be able to compete, that was the real victory.

“There were so many outstanding performances and highlights that were a real positive and inspiration for all of our fans and supporters. We look forward to ensuring our sports programs are a source of great pride for the University, the community and the Commonwealth.”

In addition to the pair of NCAA championships, baseball advanced to the College World Series, women’s soccer earned a berth to the NCAA College Cup, rowing placed fifth at the NCAA Championships, men’s swimming and diving finished ninth at the NCAA Championships, and men’s and women’s tennis each advanced to the NCAA Round of 16.

UVA captured three Atlantic Coast Conference championships and its 86 conference titles since the spring of 2002 are the most of any ACC school during that time. In 2020-21, UVA claimed ACC championships in women’s swimming and diving (17th championship in program history and 12th title since 2008), men’s tennis (13th championship in program history) and rowing (11th consecutive and 20 of 21 overall). The Cavaliers also claimed ACC regular-season titles in men’s basketball and men’s tennis

Individually, Paige Madden won three NCAA individual titles and helped UVA to the win in the 800 free relay. Michaela Meyer became the first female competitor in UVA track and field history to win an individual NCAA title, capturing the 800 meters at the NCAA Women’s Track and Field Championships. Emma Navarrro captured the NCAA singles championship, joining Danielle Collins (2014 & 2016) as Cavaliers to win the event. Carl Söderlund was named ACC Men’s Tennis Player of the Year .

Todd DeSorbo (women’s swimming) was named the national coach of the year. Andres Pedroso (men’s tennis), Kevin Sauer (rowing) and DeSorbo earned ACC Coach of the Year honors.

Additional highlights of Virginia’s 2020-21 athletics year included:
• Men’s basketball claimed its 10th ACC regular-season championship and earned its school-record seventh straight NCAA Tournament appearance
• Women’s lacrosse advanced to the NCAA Second Round
• Eight wrestlers to the NCAA Championship with senior Louie Hayes placing eighth to become the 23rd All-American in the program’s history
• Four individuals advanced to the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships and earned All-America honors while 10 Cavaliers participated in the NCAA Outdoor meet with five picking up first-team All-America honors.
• The athletics department achieved its highest Graduation Success Rate (95 percent)
• Paige Madden (women’s swimming), Sophia Kershner (rowing), Alexa Spaanstra (women’s soccer) and Carl Söderlund (men’s tennis) and Michaela Meyer (women’s track and field) earned ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors
• Rachel Robinson (field hockey) and Madden received Weaver-James-Corrigan postgraduate scholarships from the ACC
• Madden was also a recipient of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship
• Terrell Jana (football) was named the Wells Fargo Humanitarian Award recipient. Jana is a member of UVA’s Groundkeepers, which won UVA’s 2020 Marcus L. Martin Endorsed Award that recognizes groups or individuals who work to facilitate long-term, institutional change in inclusion, diversity, equity or access
• Jana also earned an ISO Graduation Award, which honors undergraduate leadership and excellence from UVA’s International Students & Scholars program
• The state-of-the-art Virginia Tennis Complex at the Boar’s Head Sports Club opened for the 2021 season

Texas finished first in the NCAA Division I Directors’ Cup standings, ending Stanford’s 25-year winning streak as the top collegiate sports program. The Longhorns had 1,252 points, while Stanford was second with 1,195.75 points.

UVA was one of six ACC programs to finish in the top 25 of the Directors’ Cup standings. Other ACC schools in the top 25 of the Directors’ Cup standings were North Carolina (4th, 1,126.25), Notre Dame (14th, 900), Florida State (16th, 893), Duke, (21st, 831.50) and NC State (23rd, 783.25).

There are five Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup awards, one to honor the institution with the best overall athletics program in each of the NCAA’s Divisions I and I-AAA, II and III, and the NAIA. The Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between NACDA and USA Today.

2020-21 Learfield IMG College Directors’ Cup Final Top 25 Point Standings

 1. Texas           1252.00
 2. Stanford        1195.75
 3. Michigan        1126.50
 4. North Carolina  1126.25
 5. Florida         1121.75
 6. USC             1052.00
 7. Alabama         1017.25
 8. Arkansas         988.75
 9. Ohio State       972.50
10. Georgia          971.50
11. Virginia         970.25
12. Kentucky         960.25
13. UCLA             933.25
14. Notre Dame       900.00
15. LSU              895.00
16. Florida State    893.00
17. BYU              871.25
18. Oklahoma State   860.50
19. Texas A&M        846.25
20. Arizona State    840.00
21. Duke             831.50
22. Ole Miss         824.50
23. NC State         783.25
24. Oklahoma         774.50
25. Oregon           763.50

ACC Schools in Final 2020-21 Directors’ Cup Standings
 4. North Carolina       1126.25
11. Virginia              970.25
14. Notre Dame            900.00
16. Florida State         893.00
21. Duke                  831.50
23. NC State              783.25
32. Virginia Tech         631.25
36. Clemson               554.75
40. Louisville            532.75
44. Georgia Tech          487.00
54. Wake Forest           394.75
62. Miami (FL)            358.50
64. Syracuse              328.00
73. Pitt                  279.00
74. Boston College        277.00

Schools Ranked in the Top-30 of All 24 Directors’ Cup Point Standings (1994-2019)
Florida
Georgia
Michigan
North Carolina
Ohio State
Stanford
Texas
UCLA
USC
Virginia

Virginia’s Final Position in Each of the Directors’ Cup Rankings
2021  11th
2020  N/A
2019  8th
2018  21st
2017  19th
2016  8th
2015  6th
2014  4th
2013  20th
2012  15th
2011  7th
2010  3rd
2009  8th
2008  17th
2007  13th
2006 26th
2005  13th
2004 30th
2003  19th
2002 27th
2001  30th
2000 13th
1999  8th
1998  13th
1997 22nd
1996 21st
1995 19th (tie)
1994 19th