CLEVELAND, Ohio — Learfield revealed its final standings for the 2025-26 NCAA Division III Directors' Cup today with Williams College placing fifth overall with 1,063.75 points. This is the 27th time in 29 years of the competition that the Ephs have finished among the top five.
"I continue to be incredibly proud of all that our Williams teams accomplish each year, excelling both in competition and in the classroom," said Lisa Melendy, Director and Chair of Physical Education, Athletics and Recreation. "Finishing among the top five in the Directors' Cup standings places Williams alongside the nation's premier athletic programs and reflects the sustained excellence that defines our department. This achievement is a testament to the dedication of our coaches, whose commitment to supporting the aspirations and development of our student-athletes helps them thrive throughout their Williams experience."
Williams had 14 top-10 teams during the year, including a pair of runner-up finishes in women's cross country and women's indoor track and field.
The spring proved to be the most lucrative season for Williams as the Ephs amassed 380.75 points, compared to 364.5 in the winter and 318.5 in the fall. Women's lacrosse finished fifth to supply 73 points while women's outdoor track and field provided 71.25 points with its seventh-place showing. Other sports scoring points this spring were women's golf (67.5), men's lacrosse (64), women's crew (55) and women's tennis (50).
Up to 18 total sports in an athletic year may count towards the final standings, four of which must be men's basketball, women's basketball, men's soccer and women's soccer, leaving the next highest 14 sports scored to also be counted. That rule left five Ephs teams uncounted toward the final standings, despite competing in national championship tournaments.
Washington University in St. Louis won its first Directors' Cup this year, racking up a total of 1,266.5 points, with Tufts second (1,252.5), Johns Hopkins third (1,180) and last year's champion, Emory, fourth (1,066), a mere 2.25 points ahead of Williams. WashU is just the eighth school to ever claim the title, and only the Ephs have won the Division III Directors' Cup more than once, securing it a record 22 times. Williams also owns the Learfield Directors' Cup longest NCAA Division III win streak of 13 (1999-01).
Each of the 11 schools in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) finished among the top 100 schools (317 total), with Tufts, Williams and Amherst (10th) in the top 10. Only the University Athletic Association (UAA) had more schools in the top 10 in Washington University, Emory, the University of Chicago (sixth) and New York University (seventh).
